THE  LIBRARY  OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY  OF 

NORTH  CAROLINA 

AT  CHAPEL  HILL 


ENDOWED  BY  THE 

DIALECTIC  AND  PHILANTHROPIC 

SOCIETIES 


This  book  is  due  at  the  WALTER  R.  DAVIS  LIBRARY  on 
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be  renewed  by  bringing  it  to  the  library. 


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Form  No  513. 
Rev.  1/84 


UNIVERSITY  OF  N.C.  AT  CHAPEL  HILL 


00017117852 


D.  B.  GAINES.  A.  M..  M.  D. 


Biographical  Sketch. 

The  lamented  Simmons  in  his  4*  Men  of  Mark"  says  that  in  all 
probability  South  Carolina  has  produced  more  Negroes  who  have 
risen  to  eminence  than  any  other  state  in  the  American  Union.  It 
is  worthy  of  note  that  the  "Palmetto''  state,  in  the  most  memora- 
ble year  of  the  century  just  closing,  the  year  that  the  immortal 
Lincoln  preached  the  new  doctrine  of  human  rights  and  liberty, 
gave  to  the  world  the  author  of  this  volume.  His  early  life  was 
spent  on  the  farm.  He  came  to  Arkansas  in  1881.  Realizing  the 
superior  advantages  of  a  trained  intellect,  he  entered  Philander 
Smith  College  in  1885  where  he  continuously  prosecuted  his  stud- 
ies until  he  completed  the  A.  B.  course  in  1891  at  the  head  of  his 
class.  Having  gained  considerable  experience  as  a  teacher  in  the 
summer  rural  schools,  he  was  selected  by  the  Little  Rock  School 
Board  first  assistant  at  Union  High  School  in  the  fall  of  1891;  he 
filled  this  position  creditably  for  two  years.  He  served  with  great 
satisfaction  as  pastor  of  the  Mt.  Pleasant  Baptist  Church,  Little 
Rock,,  for  one  year.  He  entered  Meharry  Medical  College,  Nash- 
ville. Tenn..  and  graduated  in  1896  with  first  honors.  His  Alma 
Mater  gave  his  degree  of  A.  M.,  pro  merito,  1895.  Dr.  Gaines  locat- 
ed in  this  city  where  he  has  a  comfortable  home.  His  office  is  in 
the  Thompson  building  at  9th  and  Gaines  Sts.  His  patronage  is  in- 
creasing. He  enjoys  the  confidence  both  as  a  citizen  and  a  profes- 
sional man  of  a  large  number  of  friends.  He  takes  an  active  interest 
in  everything  that  concerns  his  people.  He  is  president  of  the  Soci- 
ety of  Alumni  of  Philander  Smith  College;  president  of  the  State 
Medical  Association;  and  Superintendent  of  the  1st  Baptist  Sun- 
day School. 

While  the  subject  matter  in  this  work  is  entirely  original  the 
author  lays  no  claim  to  literary  merit.  He  has  long  seen  and  felt 
the  need  of  a  proper  appreciation  of  the  efforts  and  work  of  the  young 
people  of  the  race.  He  feels  that  the  spirit  of  despising  the  day 
of  small  things  is  gaining  ground  too  fast  among  our  people,  and 
as  a  result  many  of  our  struggling  young  people,  after  thev  have 
received  the  capacity  and  capability  to  make  useful  men  and  worn- 


en,  have  fallen  by  the  wayside  for  lack  of  notice  and  want  of  en- 
couragement. If,  therefore,  he  succeeds  in  cheering  a  despondent 
brother  or  sister,  or  inciting  others  to  a  higher  and  more  useful 
life,  he  will  be  amply  repaid.  His  efforts  are  praiseworthy,  and 
we  pray  that  his  life  may  be  given  us  many  years  to  do  even  great- 
er things  for  our  people  and  country. 

Respectfully, 

R.  C.  CHILDRESS. 


RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES 


AS  INDICATED  B 


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BY 


D.  B.  GAINES,  A.  M.,.M.  D. 


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\  LITTLE  ROCK.  ARKANSAS: 

X  ^f  '  Printing  Department  of  Philander  Smith  College. 


J 


Copyright  applied  for. 
All  Rights  reserved. 


Table  of  Gtiapters, 

CHAPTER  I.  PAGE 

Introduction— My  Reasons  for  Writing 9 

CHAPTER  H. 

Qualifications  Necessary  for  a  Leader 12 

CHAPTER  in. 

Racial  Relations 19 

CHAPTER  IV. 

Little  Rock — Laboring  Men 24 

CHAPTER  V. 

Little  Rock— Business  Men 27 

CHAPTER  VL 

Little  Rock— Ministers  39 

CHAPTER  VLL 

Little  Rock— Educators 61 

CHAPTER  VIII. 

Little  Rock— Men  of  Means 76 

CHAPTER  IX. 

Little  Rock—  Lawyers 85 

CHAPTER  X. 

Little  Rock— Doctors 90 

CHAPTER  XI. 

Colored  Women 97 

CHAPTER  XII. 

Little  Rock—  Institutions  of  Learning 102 

CHAPTER  XIII. 

Little  Rock— Public  Schools  114 

CHAPTER  XIV. 

Little  Rock— Charitable  Institutions 118 

CHAPTER  XV. 

Little  Rock— Churches 120 

CHAPTER  XVI. 

Helena.  Ark 127 

CHAPTER  XVIL 

_     Pine  Bluff.  Ark 131 

0  CHAPTER  XVTH. 

i     Ft.  Smith.  Ark 138 

**  CHAPTER  XIX. 

O     Hot  Springs.  Ark 141 

<T 


CHAPTER  XX. 

Miscellaneous 145 

CHAPTER  XXI. 
Alcohol 155 

CHAPTER  XXII. 
Friends  of  the  Race 164 

CHAPTER  XXIII. 
Conclusion  and  Summary 167 

CHAPTER  XXIV. 
Colored  Business  Directory  of  Little  Rock 173 

CHAPTER  XXV. 
Church  Directory 185 


CHAPTER  I. 
INTRODUCTION. 

My  reasons  for  wriuing. 

You  ask  me  why  I  write  this  little  book  eh  !  Well, 
dear  friend,  I  will  undertake  to  answer  you  in  a 
way  that  is  both  plain  and  simple,  and  in. such  lan- 
guage that  you  cannot  help  but  both  comprehend 
my  meaning  and  appreciate  my  effort. 

1 .  I  presume  that  you  imagine  that  I  am  looking 
for  your  pocket-book ;  well  yes,  an  honest  confes- 
sion is  good  for  the  soul;  and  I  will  be  more  than 
oblige  if  you  can  spare  me  the  price  of  this  little 
book;  while  I  feel  quite  sure  that  you  will  realize 
ten  times  its  price  by  considering  carefully  the  per- 
tinent truths  and  valuable  hints  found  in  it. 

'2.  Bv  reason  of  the  dark  side  of  things  being 
continually  held  before  our  people,  a  want  of  confi- 
dence in  themselves  exists,  and  discouragement  reigns 
supremely  in  the  young  men  and  women  who  are 
about  to  enter  the  arena  of  life,  and  to  whom  the 
Race  must  look  for  future  success. 

3.  Nothing  encourages  an  army  more  than  to 
know  that  it  has    munition  and    rations  in  its    own 


10  INTRODUCTION 


ranks,    thereby    guaranteeing    an    opportunity     to 
conquer  if  its  men  will  only  be  brave  and  fight. 

4.  A  clear  setting  forth  of  the  Negro's  condi- 
tion in  the  capital  city  wall  not  only  serve  as  a  stimu- 
lus to  him,  but  will  awaken  a  deeper  sense  of  pride 
in  the  race  throughout  the  state  and  will  have  in 
my  opinion  a  very  considerable  bearing  upon  the 
friends  of  the  race  among  the  people  of  a  brighter 
hue ;  increasing  their  respect  for  the  race  and  set- 
ting aside  many  degrading  newspaper  reports, 
proving  many  vile  epithets  to  be  founded  purely 
upon  prejudice  and  want  of  self-respect. 

5.  To  be  a  lighthouse  to  wayfaring  seamen  is 
among  the  highest  duties  that  man  can  perforin  to 
his  fellow  man. 

6.  Knowing  the  location  of  a  cess-pool  and  fail- 
ing to  warn  your  brother  who  is  unaware  of  its 
whereabouts,  and  thereby  perchance  loose  his  life 
makes  you  responsible  for  his  blood. 

7.  Let  the  world  know  who  you -are  and  what 
you  are  doing  and  then  the  world  will  be  the  judge 
as  to  your  credibility  and  your  true  identity  will 
not  be  left  for  a  few  bias  newspaper  correspondents 
to  determine. 

«S.  If  you  want  a  philosopher  to  believe  that  day 
is  breaking,  show  him  the  morning  star. 

!>.     That  I  may  not  (when  I  am  old)  be  wanting 


IXTRODUCTIOX.  11 


in  conscious  pleasure  of  having  done  mv  duty  to  my 
fellow  man  is  among  mv  highest  motives. 

10.     That  good  may  come  to  the  people  and  glo- 
ry may  come  to  God  is  the  highest  motive. 


12  RA  CIAL  POSSIBILITIES. 


CHAPTER  II. 

QUALIFICATIONS  IS^CESSARY  FOR 
A  LEADER. 

Perhaps  there  has  never  been  a  time  in  the  his- 
tory of  the  race  and  nation  of  greater  interest  both 
in  church  and  state  than  the  present  year.  Eigh- 
teen hundred  and  ninty  eight  may  be  properly  styled 
the  year  of  clouds  and  collisions.  And  the  hearts 
of  the  Negroes  as  well  as  Caucasians  should  be 
aroused  to  a  deeper  personal  and  national  interest 
than  ever  before;  as  this  year,  like  all  preceding 
ones  shall  determine  their  weal  or  woe  to  a  very 
great  extent;  and  while  many  things  of  great 
importance  shall  be  transacted  by  the  people  of 
this  eventful  vear,  nothing  the  writer  believes  will 
be  of  more  importance  to  the  people  of  color  than 
a  brief  discussion  on  the  Qualification  for  Leader- 
ship. For  indeed  if  the  possibilities  indicated  by 
the  exponents  of  the  race  as  shown  in  this  work  ev- 
er materialize,  it  must  be  largely  accomplished 
through  the  leaders  of  the  race.  Inasmuch  as  this 
is  true  the  writer  deems  it  altogether  in  place 
to  call  his  people's  attention  to  some  of  the  quali- 
ties which  every  person  who  occupies  the   position 


RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES.  13 

or  aspires  to  the  position  of  a  leader  should  possess. 
A  good  lender  is  the  greatest  of  men  but  it  will  not 
do  to  follow  everybody.  The  first  qualification 
to  which  the  winter  will  call  attention  is  education. 
Leadership  curries  with  it  a  serious  and  important 
charge,  which  taxes  the  energies  of  the  strongest. 
An  educated  man  is  provided  for  occurence 
of  4inv  kind- — the  good  he  manages,  and  the  bad 
he  vanquishes.  In  prosperity,  he  betrays  no  pre- 
sumptions and  fn  adversity  he  feels  no  despondency. 
The  properties  of  an  education  render  a  leader 
mindful  of  things  past,  careful  for  things-  present 
and  provident  for  things  to  come.  It  strengthens 
the  mind,  expands  the  thoughts,  elevates  a  man's 
.aspirations  and  better  prepares  him  to  lead  his  peo- 
ple to  sueces  and  beget  honors  for  himself  and  tri- 
umphs for  those  he  leads.  No  people  should  con- 
fer the  honor  of  leadership  upon  an  unlearned 
man  or  woman  neither  should  they  consent  to  fol- 
low an  ignoramus,  simply  because  he  can  hollow 
and  talk  smoothly:  but  should  be  sure  that  he  is 
well  informed.  The  second  qualification  .that 
a  leader  should  have  is  common  sense ;  fine  exalted 
sense  is  not  half  so  useful  as  good  common  sense. 
There  are  forty  men  of  wit  to  one  man  of  good 
sense.  The  man  who  will  carry  nothing  with  him 
buf  gold  will  be  constantly  at  a  loss  for  ready 
change.     This  faculty  or  whatever  it  may  be    con- 


14  RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES. 

sidered,  called  common  sense,  is  one  of  the  quali- 
ties most  essential  to  full  intellectual  power  and  de- 
velopment. It  is  what  you  might  call  the  intellect 
of  every  day  life;  the  very  soul  of  business,  society 
and  home  affairs.  Common  sense  is  opposed  to  care- 
lessness, stupidity  and  skepticism,  rashness  and 
credulity,  partiality  and  humbugerv.  Some  writers 
define  it  as  the  most  uncommon  kind  of  sense  which 
seems  to  be  a  very  pertinent  definition.  The  man 
with  an  abundant  endowment  of  good  common 
sense  will  apprehend  whatever  is  going  on  about 
him  and  will  rapidly  adjust  himself  to  his  environ^ 
ments  and  become  at  home  among  them.  When 
he  is  brought  in  contact  with  any  unfamiliar  set 
of  circumstances  he  will  carefully  observe  them  and 
will  hardly  ever  fail  to  draw  correct  conclusions 
from  them.  The  stupid  dolt  who  passes  through 
the  world  with  his  mouth  open  and  his  eyes  shut, 
seeing  nothing,  hearing  nothing,  comprehending 
nothing,  the  careless  man  who  pays  no  attention, 
no  real  thoughtful  attention  to  surroundings,  and 
to  the  signs  and  portents  of  the  future  upon  whom  a 
disastrous  business  crash  might  come  all  unlooked 
for  though  heralded  for  months  by  the  plainest 
symptons ;  the  rash  man  who  needlessly  rushes 
into  plainly  indicated  danger,  all  these  are  lamenta- 
bly deficient  in  that  homely  but  inestimably  valu- 
able quality    of   common    sense.     When    common 


RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES.  15 

sense  rises  to  its  highest  stage  it  becomes  a  genius 
of  itself.  The  man  of  common  sense  will  by  no 
means  stake  all  he  has  on  some  uncontemplated 
speculation,  he  will  under  no  circumstances  turn 
loose  what  he  has  in  hand  because  it  appears  that 
he  is  going  to  get  something  better,  he  must  realize 
the  new  before  he  lets  go  the  old ;  that  is  common 
sense.  He  cannot  be  persuaded  to  take  careless 
risks.  The  humbug  cannot  make  the  man  or  wo- 
man give  up  the  old  furniture  who  has  common 
sense.  The  leader  of  common  sense  will  not  plunge 
headlong  into  things  but  acts  with  caution  and  de- 
liberation, and  always  keeps  on  the  trusty  side; 
such  are  the  men  who  form  the  strength  and 
wealth  of  any  country.  It  is  to  men  of  common 
sense  combined  with -intellectual  cultivation  that  the 
race  must  look  in  time  of  trouble,  it  is  from  them 
it  must  get  its  advice  that  will  enable  it  to  stand 
against  every  opposition.  Seeing  that  so  much  de- 
pends upon  this  faculty,  the  people  should  never 
follow  a  man  who  has  not  plenty  of  good,  old  hard 
common  sense  mixed  thoroughly  with  education. 
The  third  quality  that  a  leader  should  have  is  im- 
partiality. The  great  trouble  and  grievous  fault 
that  many  have  upon  whom  the.  honor  of  leader- 
ship is  conferred,  are  that  they  are  partial  to  a  favor- 
ed few.  Those  whose  circumstances  are  favorable 
and  whose  surroundings  are  grand  are  recognized  as 


16  RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES. 

superior  beings  to  those  whose  circumstances  are 
not  so  favorable.  The  race  does  not  want  any 
such  men  for  leaders ;  it  must  have  men  who  are 
free  from  prejudice  and  who  will  recognise  a  man 
not  because  he  is  rich  or  because  his  skin  is  pleas- 
ing in  color  but  because  he  is  a  man ;  men  who 
will  impart  justice  not  on  account  of  social  stand- 
ing or  rank  in  society,  but  because  of  right  and 
merit.  Woe  be  unto  the  leaders  who  will  lead 
a  part  of  the  people  upon  the  mountain's  summit, 
but  leave  the  rest  at  its  base;  death  to  the  leader 
who  will  use  partiality  and  draw  a  line  between  his 
fellow  men  and  make  unjust  discrimination !  Yea, 
a  leader  must  be  impartial  if  he  would  lead  success- 
fully. The  fourth  quality  thata  leader  should 
have  is  sympathy.  The  end  for  which  this  tendency 
was  implanted  in  man's  nature  is  a  very  evident 
means  of  preventing  extreme  cruelty  which 
would  often  result  from  the  conflicting  in- 
terests which  agitate  the  minds  of  men  were  there 
nothing  to  counteract.  If  there  were  no  such  thing 
as  sympathy  the  aspirant  for  wealth  or  position 
would  not  hesitate  to  crush  any  one  who  presented 
an  obstacle  to  or  opposed  in  the  least  his  progress. 
Another  purpose  of  sympathy  is  to  lead  men  to  acts 
of  mercy  and  charity.  A  sympathizing  leader  val- 
ues the  lives  and  interest  of  men  with  his  own.  He 
pities  the  troubled  and    shows  mercy -to  the    dis- 


It  A  (  IA  L  POSSIBIL  J  TIES. 


tressed.  If  people  would  be  lead  successfully  and  en- 
joy the  administration  of  their  chief  they  should  he 
careful  to  crown  with  the  distinguished  honor  of 
leadership  a  man  who  would  share  the  sorrows  and 
joys  with  his  church  or  country.  Sympathy  is  one 
of  the  first  traits  of  human  character  and  should  be 
one  of  the  particular  traits  of  a  leader.  The  fifth 
quality  that  a  leader  should  have  is  superiority  to 
the  office  he  holds  and  the  people  he  leads.  No 
man  should  accept  an  office  or  position  larger  than 
himself.  He  should  have  that  degree  of  intelli- 
gence that  would  demand  the  respect  of  the  office 
and  should  not  be  of  less  dignity  than  the  position 
he  occupies.  He  should  not  be  made  a  bishop  who 
could  not  successfully  till  some  lower  position  in 
the  church,  he  should  not  be  put  in  command  of 
the  cavalry  who  is  only  tit  for  the  place  of  a  pri- 
vate, nor  he  for  president  who  would  feel  himself 
from  home  when  conducted  into  the  common  hall 
of  the  legislature.  If  a  man  is  less  than  the  posi- 
tion he  holds  or  inferior  to  the  people  he  has  to  lead 
the  result  will  be  a  disregard  for  authority  and  a 
disgraceful  administration.  One  of  the  race's  trou- 
bles is  that  they  are  entirely  too  credulous,  and  will 
allow  any  body  on  top  side*  of  the  green  earth  to 
lead  them:  even  :t  fool  can  get  the  largest  kind  of  a 
following,  and  indeed,  many  people  will  follow  a 
fool  and  be  destroyed    in    spite  of    intelligent    sur- 


IS  RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES. 

roundings.  Morality  is  the  sixth  quality  that  a 
leader  should  have.  The  colored  people  of  these 
United  States  have  been  wonderfully  butchered  by 
a  class  of  very  corrupt  and  high-handed,  immoral 
leaders.  No  people  can  come  out  safely  who  en- 
trust their  cause  to  a  morally  corrupt  man  or  wo- 
man. Nothing  demands  the  Negro's  attention 
more  earnestly  than  the  downing  of  corrupt  leaders 
whenever  it  is  known  that  they  exist.  The  seventh 
and  last,  but  not  least  quality  that  a  leader  should 
have  is  a  high  regard  for  Christian  religion.  Noth- 
ing  will  season  and  properly  temper  the  foregoing 
qualities  like  faith  and  love  for  the  great  Creator 
and  Redeemer  of  mankind.  Whenever  it  is  possi- 
ble, men  whose  lives  and  characters  are  saturated 
with  the  spirit  of  Christ  and  whose  deportment  is 
of  a  highly  spiritual  nature  should  be  chosen  as 
leaders.  In  conclusion,  if  the  race  would  have  suc- 
cess attend  its  journey  and  the  sun  of  peace  and 
liberty  shine  over  it,  let  it  have  for  leaders  men  of 
education,  common  sense,  sympathy,  impartiality, 
superiority,  morality,  and  spirituality,  and  its  way 
will  shine  brighter  and  brighter  even  until  the  per- 
fect dav. 


RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES.  19 

CHAPTER  III. 
RACIAL  RELATIONS. 

Relations  existing  between  the  races — This  sub- 
ject is  one  to  which  to  give  justice  a  man  must  be 
both  clear-headed  and  pure-hearted.  A  writer  of 
neither  race  can  do  justice  to  it  unless  he  is  able  to 
rise  above  local  and  occasional  occurences  which 
might  from  the  love  he  bears  his  own  people  cause 
him  to  hate  and  unjustly  criticise  the  other  race. 
It  is  better  to  tell  the  truth  than  lie ;  far  better  be 
just  than  slanderous.  For  indeed  no  philosophy 
has  more  clearly  demonstrated  its  proof  in  the  ex- 
periences of  men  than  that  proclaimed  by  the  great 
philosophers,  "that  which  a  man  soweth  he  shall 
also  reap;''  "what  measure  you  meet  to  men  shall 
be  measured  to  you  again."  In  view  of  these  very 
pertinent  truths  it  is  highly  necessary  in  self-de- 
fense that  all  men  should  observe  the  golden  rule. 
If  the  writer  were  to  draw  his  conclusions  from  data 
obtained  by  the  study  of  the  life  and  character  of 
the  degraded  and  vicious  of  either  the  Negro  or 
Caucasian  race  the  result  would  be  most  distasteful : 
nor  should  he  reason  from  premises  based  upon  some 
occurrences  which  he  deems  too  loathsome  for  the 


20  RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES. 

pages  of  his  work  and  which  he  considers  transac- 
tions due  possibly  as  much  to  prejudice ns  to  real 
crime  and  which  exist  as  a  rule  among  the  more  ig- 
norant and  debased  people.  It  happens,  however. 
as  an  exception,  that  among  good  citizens  things 
very  becoming  barbarians  take  place.  But  it  would 
be  doing  both  the  white  and  colored  citizens  an  al- 
most eternal  wrong  to  attempt  to  establish  the  true 
relation  existing  between  them  by  taking  things 
that  might  occur  during  great  excitement  after 
which  had  abated  every  body  regret.  It  is  from 
the  normal  condition  of  things  that  the  true  rela- 
tion should  be  drawn.  A  man  should  never  enter  the 
slums  to  get  a  rule  by  which  to  measure  the  people. 
The  word  of  bummers  and  vagrants  should  never 
be  taken  in  evidence  against  honesty  and  truth,  nor 
should  the  relation  existing  between  the  eitv  and 
thugs  and  thieves  have  anything  to  do  with  the  re- 
lation existing  between  respectable  citizens.  Leav- 
ing out  the  bummers  and  the  thugs  and  the  thieves. 
the  vicious  and  infamous  of  both  races  the  author 
is  prepared  to  say  that  the  relation  is  most  friend- 
ly. Being  different  species  of  the  human  family, 
having  different  domestic  surroundings,  having  be- 
queathed to  them  different  legacies,  having  been 
brought  up  under  different  circumstances,  having 
different  numerical  and  financial  backing,  having 
been  taught  differently,    it    is    only    reasonable    to 


RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES.  21 

suppose  tlisit  they  have  distinct  social  relation,  ))iit 
the  separate  social  relation  does  not  of  neces- 
sity enter  into  the  humanitarian  side  of  exist- 
ing circumstances.  The  writer  does  not  be- 
lieve that  it  is  necessary  for  both  races  to  drink 
from  the  same  social  fountain  in  order  for  a  friend- 
ly and  tender  feeling  to  exist.  It  appears  that  ev- 
ery citizen  of  honor  and  respectability  receives 
from  every  other  citizen  of  honor  and  respeeti- 
bility  a  reasonable  degree  of  respect  and  confidence. 
So  thoroughly  convinced  is  the  writer  of  the  ami- 
cable relation  between  the  races  until  he  believes  that 
if  anything  of  considerable  moment  should  occur 
to  the  colored  citizens  that  was  not  diametrically 
opposed  to  the  white  citizens  that  the  former  would 
have  the  unlimited  support  and  aid  of  the  latter,  visa 
versa,  if  anything  should  happen  to  the  white  citi- 
zens that  was  not  diametrically  opposed  to  the  col- 
ored citizens  the  former  would  have  the  unlimited 
support  and  aid  of  the  latter:  but  if  anvthingshonkl 
happen  to  one  diametrically  opposed  to  the  other 
certainly  the  racial  line  would  be  drawn  :  to  this 
there  cannot  in  the  writers  opinion  be  any  valid  ob- 
jection unless  the  one  should  be  exactly  right  and 
the  other  exactly  wrong,  then  of  course  the  wrong 
should  fall  in  line  with  the  right  whether  he  be 
white  or  black. 

The  mee  question  has  been    largely   abused,   and 


RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES, 


the  relation  between  them  has?  thereby  been  con- 
siderably strained.  For  a  stump  orator  who  only 
has  sense  enough  to  waive  a  fire  brand  and  no  depth 
of  reasoning  whether  he  be  white  or  black  is  some- 
thing like  a  dynamite  with  the  fuse  near  the  fire ; 
he  is  dangerous.  The  same  is  true  of  some  news- 
papers whose  editors  have  only  sense  enough  to 
keep  door  at  the  white  house  of  Pluto  and  respecta- 
bility sufiicient  to  make  them  worthy  the  company 
of  the  bright  angels  of  darkness.  But  feeling  se- 
cure because  some  one  whispers  in  their  ears  that 
they  are  white  ;  accordingly  raises  such  a  yell  until 
everybody  becomes  excited  and  before  the  truth  of 
things  is  learned  great  damage  is  done.  It  is  not 
infrequent  that  good  newspapers  are  forced  to  cor- 
rect certain  erroneous  and  slanderous  reports  in  or- 
der to  save  the  community  from  disgrace. 

Such  things  as  these  bed  themselves  in  the  heart 
and  mind  of  the  credulous  and  serve  as  means  for 
race  disturbances.  But  to  the  credit  of  Little  Rock 
her  citizens  as  a  rule  are  all  on  the  most  friendly  terms. 
Men  of  color  receiving  the  charitable  assistance  in 
the  way  of  work  from  the  men  of  superior  advanta- 
ges. The  relation  of  the  races  in  Little  Rock  and 
the  other  large  towns  and  cities  in  the  state  is  not 
so  strained  however,  as  it  is  in  some  of  the  smaller 
towns  and  some  localities  in  the  county,  especially 
on  the  larsfe  farms  where  the  more  ignorant  Negro 


RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES.  23 


lives  and  the  rule  or  power  is  exercised  by  unrefined 
and  in  many  eases  inhuman  white  men,  and  indeed 
the  situation  in  some  places  is  far  from  satisfac- 
tion. So  very  much  so  until  in  some  places  where 
the  Negro  is  entirely  unprotected  he  is  forced  to 
leave  his  home  and  belongings  at  the  discretion  of 
his  white  brother.  The  writer  does  not  pretend  to 
say  the  cause  of  these  things,  but  declares  it  is  to 
be  deplored  and  should  be  looked  after  by  the  prop- 
er authorities  and  adjusted  according  to  right  prin- 
ciples. And  if  it  is  not  done  in  the  course  of  time 
it  cannot  help  but  prove  to  the  detriment  of  the 
whole  people.  History  will  prove  that  power  tyrani- 
eally  used  will  result  in  an  uprising  and  consequent 
revolution.  The  best  time  to  stamp  out  a  tire  is 
when  it  begins.  Never  let  it  get  the  bulge  or  it 
will  prove  disastrous. 


RA ( 'IA L  POSSIBILITIES. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

Little  Rock  Department. 

THE  LABORING  MEN. 

The  general  condition  of  the  laboring  men  in 
the  city  compares  favorably  with  that  of  the  busi- 
ness and  professional  men.  Many  of  them  enjoy 
splendid  and  respectable  employments  from  which 
bv  the  exercise  of  proper  economy  they  are  able 
not  onlv  to  decently  care  for  their  families  and  edu- 
cate their  children,  but  also  to  haveji  respectable  bank 
account.  The  writer  ventures  the  assertion  that 
there  is  but  a  very  small  per  cent  of  the  colored 
population  of  the  city  who  really  have  a  willingness 
to  work,  perseverance  and  honesty,  who  are  not 
receiving  a  respectable  livlihood  as  a  recompense  of 
their  labors.  True  it  is  that  there  are  entirely  too 
inanv  who  seemingly  have  nothing  to  do:  especial- 
ly the  young  men.  And  the  writer  is  persuaded 
that  the  majority  of  these  are  idle  more  for  the 
want  of  a  willingness  to  work  than  for  an  oppor- 
tunity to  work.  This  especially  seems  true  of  the 
young  street  walker,  and  it  is  very  probable  also 
that  nine-tenths  of  older  time  killers  who  pretend 
to  be  looking  for  work    are    praying    to   God   that 


RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES. 


they  may  not  find  it.  For  indeed  the  writer  has 
been  a  resident  of  the  city  for  twelve  years  and 
cannot  recall  a  day  that  there  was  not  something 
he  could  do  that  was  a  material  benefit  to  himself 
and  humanity.  No  man  should  have  any  patience 
with  a  willing  "bummer"  nor  sympathy  for  any 
grade  of  bummism.  Most  especially  should  the 
Negro  discourage  idleness  and  put  forth  every  ef- 
fort to  disperse  and  drive  from  his  presence  any 
crowd  of  men  or  boys  who  have  nothing  to  do  but 
congregate  upon  the  corners  of  the  streets  and 
spend  their  time  in  idle  je&ting;  because  they  make 
a  very  bad  appearance  to  the  public  for  a  race  that 
has  a  record  to  make.  Then,  indeed,  many  people 
who  do  not  think  and  who  take  pleasure  in  Negro 
degeneracy,  throw  out  to  the  world  slanderous 
epithets  against  the  entire  colored  race ;  hence  good 
men  and  women  who  are  perfectly  law  abiding  and 
industrious  are  compelled  to  suffer  the  most  vicious 
misrepresentation  on  the  account  of  a  few  disre- 
spectful and  unworthy  boys  and  men.  These  things 
ought  not  to  be  but  they  certainly  exist.  The  writ- 
er believes  that  he  voices  the  sentiment  of  every 
intelligent  colored  American  citizen  when  he  de- 
clares that  seventy-five  per  cent  of  the  entire  colored 
population  look  upon  such  conduct  with  as  much 
distaste  as  any  class  of  citizens  in  America  and  ac- 
cordingly should  not  be  thrown  in    the  slums  with 


26  RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES. 

the  degraded  and  worthless  of  their  race  any  more 
than  any  other  race  should  be  measured  and 
dealt  with  according  to  the  thieves  and  thugs  of 
theirs.  For  indeed  no  man  is  so  blind  but  what  he 
can  see  that  every  race  has  a  worthless  per  cent. 
And  no  man  ought  to  be  so  wicked  but  what  he 
would  confess  the  truth  and  give  to  every  man  ac- 
cording as  his  works  may  be.  Happy  is  the  conclu- 
sion however  that  at  least  eight-tenths  of  the  colored 
citizens  of  Little  Rock  are  industrious  and  many  of 
them  have  by  the  kindness  of  the  good  white  citi- 
zens splendid  employment  at  which  they  work  faith- 
fully, thereby  earning  an  honorable  living  for  their 
families,  while  hundreds  of  them  are  men  of  means 
and  furnish  both  their  own  jobs  and  also  work  for 
many  of  their  colored  brothers  thus  running  upon 
an  independent  base. 


RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES. 


CHAPTER  V. 

BUSINESS  MEN. 

Business  men  of  Little  Rock,  Ark. — Nothing  is 
more  suggestive  of  the  prosperity  of  a  people  than 
their  business  men.  To  put  money  to  an  exchange, 
to  conduct  a  legal  and  successful  business  is  both 
demonstrative  of  great  brain  power  and  force  of 
character.  For  indeed,  no  man  can  long  continue 
in  business  who  has  not  sufficient  intellectual 
ability  to  entei  deeply  into  the  most  intricate 
of  science  and  mathematics,  and  force  of  character 
enough  to  resist  that  avaricious  spirit  that  possibly 
presents  itself  to  every  prosperous  business  man  and 
if  encouraged  will  soon  cause  him  to  become  dis- 
trusted by  his  customers  who  will  brand  him  with 
the  mark  of  dishonesty  and  leave  him,  as  being  un- 
worthy of  theiT*  patronage,  the  much  chagrined  vic- 
tim of  his  own  folly.  Another  most  important 
thing  that  must  enter  early  into  a  business 
man's  consideration,  if  he  would  long  continue,  is 
the  cultivation  or  the  acquirement  of  the  ability  to 
read  human  nature.  In  the  writer's  opinion  all  busi- 
ness men  should  learn  early  how  to  look  into  a  man's 
face  and  hear  him  talk  and  tell  what  is  in  his  heart. 


28  RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES. 

The  man  who  can  put  up  the  finest  talk  and  make 
himself  appear  the  most  honest  should  never  be  al- 
lowed a  page  in  your  credit  book ;  always  deal  with 
him  strictly  for  the  cash .  There  are  but  few  cities  that 
enjoy  more  business  men  and  have  more  well  regu- 
lated business  houses  than  Little  Rock.  And  the 
writer  conjectures  that  nowhere  does  the  colored 
business  men  have  a  more  liberal  patronage  than  in 
the  capital  city.  Many  of  them  enjoying  not  only 
the  support  of  their  own  color  but  a  very  extensive 
trade  from  the  white  citizens  in  their  respective  lo- 
calities. This  supports  the  writer  in  the  assertion 
that  if  you  have  what  the  people  desire  you  will 
get  their  respect,  confidence  and  trade ;  hence 
the  necessity  of  making  and  saving  the  dollar. 
Please  let  every  Negro  who  may  read  these  lines  re- 
member that  "  a  man  is  a  man  for  a  that." 

To  mention  all  the  colored  business  men  of  the 
city  would  be  entirely  contrary  to  the  purpose  of. 
and  impossible  in  this  little  volume.  Therefore 
its  design  is  simplv  to  set  forth  the  sreneral 
condition  and  present  to  them  who  desire  to  know  a 
knowledge  of  the  resources  and  capabilities  of  the 
colored  people  of  the  state  of  Arkansas ;  the  citi- 
zens of  Little  Rock  being  taken  as  example;  for 
the  writer  has  reason  to  justify  the  assertion  that 
what  is  true  of  the  colored  people  of  Little  Rock  is 
mainly  true   everywhere;  sufficiently  true  to  justify 


RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES.  29 

the  conclusion  as  has  been  stated    above. 

The  first  out  of  the  few  that  space  will  allow  men- 
tioned is 

J.  W.  Walker,  who  owns  and  controls,  as  sole 

proprietor,   a  well   regulated   wholesale   and    retail 

grocery  business  on  19th  and  Cross  St.     No.    1122 
«... 

W.  19th,  residence  1821  Cross.  Being  .s^rjctly 
honest,  and  having  purely  business  methods^  he 
has  won  for  himself  a  host  of  admirers  and  a  large 
trade.  He  is  indeed  a  representative  business  man 
of  the  highest  type.  Keeping  in  stock  as  he  does 
a  full  line  of  staple  and  fancy  groceries  supplimen- 
ted  with  an  extensive  feed  department,  he  easily 
controls  the  most  of  the  patronage  of  the  south- 
west end  of  the  city.  His  trade  is  by  no  means 
limited  to  his  own  people ;  but  so  large  and  pure  is 
V*  his  stock  and  so  business-like  his  methods  until  he 
enjoys  the  liberal  patronage  of  many  of  the  best 
white  citizens  in  his  vicinity.  So  thoroughlv  suc- 
cessful has  he  been  until  many  of  the  smaller  retail 
houses  look  to  hini  for  constant  supply;  he  thus  car- 
ries on  both  a  wholesale  and  retail  business.  He 
accordingly  stands  an  honor  to  himself  and  a  credit 
.to  his  people.  He  owns  and  controls  considerable 
property. 

T.  R.  Robinson,  the  subject  of  this  sketch  is 
the  owner  and  sole  proprietor  of  the  exeeedinglv 
popular  grocery  store  located  at  7th  and  Einofo  Sts. 


30  RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES. 

Courtesy,  honesty,  perseverance  and  activity  is  his 
motto  and  a  strict  adherence  to  which  has  won  for 
him  the  confidence  of  a  host  of  friends  and  a  snug 
little  fortune.  His  keen  business  insight  prompts 
him  to  always  keep  a  fresh  and  full  line  of  all  fan- 
cy and  staple  goods  and  in  order  to  obtain  these  the 
majority  of  the  people  of  all  races  flock  to  see  him. 
His  elegant  residence  is  attached  to  his  store  build- 
ing. 

A.  D.  Morris,  the  man  who  owns  and  con- 
ducts the  east  end  grocery  store  and  who  possibly 
has  made  as  much  money  and  ranks  as  high  in  the 
business  circle  of  Little  Rock  as  any  man  of  color 
in  it  is  generally  known  as  Ad  Moms.  His  veraci- 
ty  stands  unimpeachable;  his  business  methods  wor- 
thy of  imitation ;  his  shrewdness  equal  to  all  emer- 
gencies. He  enjoys  the  comforts  of  considerable 
means,  owning  considerable  real  estate  both  in 
the  city  and  in  the  country.  Until  recently  he  con- 
ducted the  largest  wood  and  coal  concern  in  the 
city ;  but  having  made  a  handsome  fortune  at  the 
business  he  retired  and  now  conducts  only  his  large 
grocery  store.  His  place  of  business  is  at  1218 
East  12th.  St.,  residence  1122  Last  St.  . 

C.  Ezell. — If  one  desires  to  see  a  typical  young 
business  man  let  him  visit  502  East  18th  St.,  where 
an  exceedingly  full  and  well  regulated  business 
house,  with  a  handsome  residence  on  each  side  will 


RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES.  31 

be  found.  If  he  will  inquire  he  will  soon  find  that 
it  is  the  property  of  the  persevering  young  man, 
Charles  Ezell.  He  enjoys  a  business  popularity  of 
a  man  many  years  his  senior.  He  is  one  of  the  many 
vounof  colored  men  in  the  city  who  snve  evidence  of 
the  high  possibilities  of  the  race ;  for  indeed  what 
one  colored  man  can  do  by  honesty  and  activity  can 
be  done  by  others  not  only  in  this  city  but  almost 
anywhere  in  this  country.  He  does  not  only  con- 
duct a  grocery  but  a  large  wood  yard. 

J.  I.  Blakely,  the  popular  9th  St.  man,  who 
occupies  the  corner  store  room  in  Thompson's  mas- 
sive brick  building  is  simply  another  example  of 
what  business  tact  and  activity  can  accomplish.  En- 
tering the  city  some  five  years  ago  practically  with- 
out means  but  by  great  push,  honesty  and  business 
activity  he  today  has  a  first-class  business  house ; 
a  full  line  of  fresh,  fancy  and  staple  goods.  The 
writer  offers  this  example  to  show  that  hundreds  of 
our  young  men  might  build  themselves  up  and  ac- 
cumulate means  if  they  only  had  a  willingness  to 
work  and  honesty  sufficient  to  gain  the  confidence  of 
men  of  means  as  Jno.  Blakely  has  done. 

S.  F.  Taylor,  the  commission  merchant  of 
221,  W.  5th  St.,  operates  one  of  the  largest  estab- 
lishments on  that  great  business  thoroughfare.  Any- 
thing in  the  grocery  line  can  be  had  from  him.  Like 
the  other  extensive  business  colored  and  white  men 


32  RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES. 

of  the  city  his  delivery  wagons  are  running  all  day 
and  sometimes  half  the  night.  That  he  is  a  business 
man  of  great  ability  is  evidenced  by  the  confidence 
placed  in  him  by  the  men  of  means.  He  is  sur- 
rounded by  some  of  the  finest  business  men  of  the 
"^city  and  yet  he  sells  his  goods  as  cheap  and  keeps 
his  stock  as  full  as  any  of  them.  This  is  very  clear 
evidence  that  the  man  of  color  is  not  a  whit  behind 
any  other  man  of  equal  surroundings. 

Jacob  Smith  and  Bro. — This  enterprising 
firm  is  located  at  724,  W.  9th  St.  Perseverence  and 
honesty  possibly  never  rushed  two  young  men  into  a 
prosperous  business  and  confidence  of  the  people 
more  rapidly  than  the  Smith  Bros.  They  enjoy  a 
good  trade  because  they  always  give  their  patrons 
the  benefit  of  the  lowest  prices.  The  combination 
of  brothers  in  business  is  entirely  too  seldom  among 
the  voung  colored  men,  and  should  be  encouraged 
everywhere  because  in  union  there  is  strength. 

L.  Henderson,  the  extensive  wood  and  coal 
dealer  is  located  at  918  E.  9th  and  residence 
1003  E.  <>th  St.  He  handles  wood  and  coal  by  the 
carload;  thus  being  able  to  compete  in  prices  with 
any  fuel  dealer  in  the  city.  He  owns  considerable 
property  and  has  considerable  money. 

Sydney  Sinis  is  the  proprietor  of  a  wood 
and  coal  yard  on  9th  near  state.  He  does  an  exten- 
sive retail  trade  and  enjoys  the  fullest  confidence  of 
his  entire  vicinity. 


RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES.  33 

P.  Gibbs  operates  a  wood  and  coal  yard  at 
720  W.  Oth  St.  He  carries  a  large  stock  and  always 
does  a  good  business. 

H.  R.  Thornton  and  Brother  do  a  first- 
class  wood  and  coal  business.  They  always  give 
good  weight  and  measure,  hence  control  a  large 
trade. 

J.  S.  R.  Robinson  runs  a  first-class  grocery 
store  at  728  W.  9th  St.  He  is  a  splendid  example 
of  business  activity.  He  enjoys  the  esteem  of  all 
who  know  him. 

L.  A.  House,  the  confectioner  and  Midway  Cafe 
man  conducts  a.  strictly  first-class  confectionery 
and  the  Midway  Cafe  at  (520  and  (522  W.  9th  St. 
in  the  Thompson  building.  The  business  done  and 
the  patronage  controlled  by  him  justly  confers  up- 
on him  the  title  of  an  expert.  Many  of  the  best 
people  of  the  city  find  pleasure  in  meeting  in  his 
elegantly  kept  parlors  where  they  exchange  intel- 
lectual discourse,  and  delight  themselves  with  the 
delicacies  set  by  him  and  his  amiable  wife.  There 
is  no  use  for  the  people  of  color  to  long  for  admis- 
sion to  the  Capital  Hotel,  nor  any  of  the  hotels  when 
they  have  such  first-class  and  exceedingly  high-toned 
places  of  resort  as  the  Midway  Cafe  and  House's 
Confectionery. 

J.  S.  Webb,  the  9th  and  Arch  St.  Confection- 
er.— No  place    in    the    city    is    conducted    upon    a 


34  RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES. 

more  magnificent  style  than  that  conducted  by  J. 
8.  Webb.  And  notwithstanding  he  having  been 
in  the  business  but  a  short  while,  he  enjoys  a  large 
and  respectable  patronage.  He  is  a  business  man 
of  great  ability  and  considerable  experience.  Any 
person  looking  for  a  respectable  and  high-toned 
resort  can  always  be  accommodated  at  his  place. 

Restaurants. — The  colored  people  of  Little  Rock 
and  those  visiting  the  city  are  by  no  means  forced 
to  go  in  the  kitchens  of  large  hotels  to  be  accommo- 
dated to  a  meal ;  but  can  enter  a  first-class  restau- 
rant and  be  served  respectably. 

S.  Hargraves  conducts  a  strictly  first-class  res- 
taurant at  714  W.  Oth  St.  in  the  Jones  building. 
The  city  man,  the  traveller  and  all  persons  of  re- 
spectability are  always  welcomed  and  elegantly 
served  at  the  house  of  this  master  of  eatables.  He 
possibly  serves  more  men  and  women  than  any  oth- 
er man  in  the  city ;  because  he  is  both  honest  and 
courteous,  thereby  enjoying  the  respect  and  confi- 
dence of  all  who  know  him. 

J.  M.  Morris. — Everybody  enjoys  the  comforts 
and  meals  furnished  by  him.  He  is  full  of  busi- 
ness and  strictly  honest.  He  is  exceedingly  popu- 
lar among  the  business  men  of  the  city. 

B.  E.  Bruce,  the  Scott  St.  Hotel  man.— Fair 
and  honest  dealings  have  won  for  him  the  confidence 
of  the  traveller.     He  is  a  business  man  of  no  mean 


RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES.  35 

ability.  The  man  entering  the  city  from  abroad 
can  always  find  a  safe  and  comfortable  lodging  at 
his  place  of  business. 

Peter  Mahan  is  proprietor  of  the  public  hotel 
located  at  1514  W.  Markham,  near  the  Union  de- 
pot. Being  in  easy  reach  of  all  the  trains,  he  is 
quite  a  convenience  for  all  persons  coming  in  or 
ofoino:  out  at  niffht.  He  is  reputed  to  be  very  relia- 
ble  and  strictly  first-class. 

Merchant  Tailors. — Burton  and  Thomp- 
son cut  and  make  suits  to  order.  No  young  col- 
ored man  need  run  around  looking  for  a  place  to  get 
an  up-to-date  suit;  for  these  young  men  of  his  own 
color  can  fit  him  up.  Every  Negro  should  give 
them  a  trial  at  712  W.  9th  St. 

I.  A.  Foster,  the  first-class  tailor,  is  located  at 
708  1-2  W.  9th  St.  There  is  no  place  in  city  where 
one  can  get  more  neatly  fitted  than  at  his  place  of 
business.  He  is  like  Burton  and  Thompson,  strict- 
ly honest  and  enjoys  the  patronage  of  a  host  of  ad- 
mirers. 

The  writer  calls  attention  to  these  things  to  show 
that  along  all  lines  the  colored  man  is  progressing. 

The  Merchants,  Shoe  Makers,  Barbers  and  Plant- 
ers are  all  men  of  a  first-class  order.  No  city  can 
boast  of  a  more  proficient  class  of  men  in  these  dif- 
ferent pursuits  than  Little  Rock,  Ark.  The  head, 
the  body,  the  foot,  the  home  may  all  be  kept  in  first- 


36  RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES. 

class  order  by  a  grade  of  highly  trained  colored 
men.  This  ought  to  be  a  source  of  pleasure  to  ev- 
ery lover  of  the  race  since  it  is  clear  evidence  that 
the  race  has  sufficient  material  per  se  to  meet 
every  '  demand.  The  brick-layers,  the  carpenters, 
the  painters,  and  the  plasterers  are  all  of  a  high 
grade,  thereby  being  thoroughly  prepared  to  take 
and  complete  in  first-class  order  a  contract  for  the 
smallest  cottage  or  the  most  stately  mansion.  If 
any  man  will  seriously  and  intelligently  consider 
these  facts  he  cannot  help  but  reach  the  conclusion 
that  the  greatest  needs  of  the  race  are,  unity,  activi- 
ty, perseverance,  and  money.  All  that  is  necessary 
to  make  a  great  people  is  the  observance  of  a  strict 
rule  of  economy,  union,  honesty,  self-reliance, 
courage  and  a  willingness  to  work.  These  facts  are 
expressive  of  the  Negro's  condition  all  over  the 
state  and  is  encouraging  to  a  man  who  will  look 
on  the  bright  side  of  things. 

Cook  and  Jones,  the  popular  undertakers  and 
embalmers,  being  men  of  considerable  means  are 
thoroughly  prepared  to  meet  the  demands  of  the 
most  gorgeous  funeral  or  display  of  any  nature 
where  blooded  stock  and  fine  vehicles  are  demanded. 
They  control  nearly  the  entire  colored  patronage. 
Many  pleasure  seekers  resort  to  Jones'  well-equipped 
stable  for  sporty  outfits  which  are  always  furnished 
in  first-class  stvle.     There  business  is  not  limited  to 


RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES. 


37 


the  city  but  they  do  work  for  the  neighboring    vil- 
lages and  surrounding  country. 

J.  E.  Henderson,  the  watch  and  clock  man  is 
located  in  Bush's  extensive  brick  building  on  9th 
and  Broadway  Sts.  Encouraging  indeed  is  it  to 
hear  the  clicking  of  the  clocks  and  ticking  of  the 
watches  in  this  well  regulated  and  up-to-date  busi- 
ness house.  The  man  of  color  is  no  longer  forced  to 
carry  his  jewelry  to  the  other  faces  for  repair  but 
his  own  people  are  prepared  to  give  satisfaction 
along  the  jewelry  line. 


F.  li.  Coffin,  Ph.  G. 


Spot  Cash  Drug  Store  is    located  at  9  th   and 
Gaines  St.     This  exceedingly  creditable  enterprise  is 


38-  RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES. 


conducted  by  F.  B.  Coffin,  Ph.  G.,  as  its  sole  pro- 
prietor. He  is  the  only  registered  pharmacist  in 
the  state  and  as  such  operates  the  only  first-class 
colored  drug  store.  His  stock  will  invoice  $1500 
or  $2000.  He  graduated  from  Meharry  Medical 
College  in  1893,  coming  immediately  to  this  city 
where  he  entered  the  drug  business  with  G.  E. 
Jones  as  partner.  The  firm  of  Jones  and  Coffin 
continued  until  January  1st  1898  when  F.  B. 
Coffin  bought  the  interest  of  G.  E.  Jones  and  be- 
came  sole  proprietor.  He  is  doing  a  first-class  busi- 
ness. 


RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES.  39 


CHAPTER  VI. 

MINISTERS. 

It  is  with  consummate  pleasure  that  the  writer 
turns  to  speak  briefly  of  the  great  and  noble  minis- 
ters of  the  state  and  especially  those  of  Little  Rock, 
Ark.  His  opinion  may  be  vastly  different  from 
that  of  any  other  person's  on  earth;  but  it  is  not 
the  opinion  of  other  men  that  he  is  trying  to  give 
the  world,  it  is  his  own.  Therefore  the  criticism,  if 
there  should  be  any,  will  only  be  accepted  simply  as 
the  opinion  of  some  one  who  does  not  think  as  he. 
The  writer  sincerely  believes  that  if  the  Negro  race 
as  a  mass  is  ever  Christianly  enlightened  it  must  be 
largely  done  through  an  educated  ministry.  Far 
more  powerful  does  he  believe  the  ministry  to  be 
than  the  school  room :  that  is  the  ministry  as  a  s:en- 
eral  meai^  of  lifting  up  all  the  people  or  moulding 
sentiment  in  a  nation,  state  or  city.  There  is  no 
one  force  that  can  be  put  in  motion  that  is  capable 
of  what  an  enlightened  clergy  can  do.  A  thorough- 
ly Christian  minister,  thoroughly  educated  is  God's 
greatest  means  of  disseminating  truth,  dispelling  ig- 
norance and  breaking  down  the  forces  of  immorality 
and  superstition.     It  was  in  the  ministers'    charge 


40  RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES. 

that  the  Great  Teacher  left  the  task  of  evangelizing 
the  world  and  preparing  it  for  a  suitable  habitation 
for  man.  The  Christian  schools  of  this  country 
arc  simply  plans  adopted  by  the  religious  people 
of  the  earth,  lead  by  the  ministry  to  fill  the  charge 
delivered  to  them  by  the  great  Evangelist  to  evangel- 
ize and  Christianize  the  world.  Hence  a  ministry 
that  created  the  schools  is  greater  than  the  schools 
and  it  is  through  them  that  the  schools  live  and  have 
their  being.  The  ministry  is  greater  than  any 
public  or  free  school  can  possibly  be  for  the  very 
reason  that  brain  is  cultivated  to  the  neglect  of  the 
spiritual  being.  Say  what  you  will,  no  people  can  be 
great  who  are  not  religiously  educated  ;  and  say  what 
you  will,  no  means  can  reach  the  people  as  a  mass 
as  readily  and  successfully  as  the  ministry.  Then 
seeing  that  so  much  depends  upon  the  men  to  whom 
Christ  delivered  the  keys,  it  is  very  necessary  for 
the  good  of  all  the  people  that  the  ministry  should 
be  educated.  For  indeed  just  as  truly  as  a  religous- 
ly  cultivated  minister  is  God's  greatest  medium  of 
civilization,  just  so  truly  is  an  absolutely  ignorant 
preacher  one  of  the  greatest  oppositions  to  true 
progress.  Nothing  is  to  be  compared  with  the  dam- 
age that  a  really  illiterate,  uncultivated  preacher 
can  do.  The  people  who  are  ignorant,  he  plunges 
deeper  and  deeper  into  the  pits  and  quagmires  of 
foolishness,  superstition    and    crankism    and    those 


RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES.  41 

who  are  fairly  well  cultivated  he  makes  absolutely 
ignorant.  Hence  a  man  who  does  not,  has  not 
and  will  not  study  is  the  most  dangerous  piece  of 
machinery  operating  in  the  universe.  He  is  more 
to  be  dreaded  than  a  wild  engine ;  for  the  engine 
can  only  destroy  the  body  but  he  most  unmercif  ullv 
gobbles  up  both  soul  and  body.  There  is  absolute- 
ly no  excuse  for  a  }*oung  man  entering  into  or  if 
he  has  already  entered  remaining  ignorant  in  the 
ministry.  For  indeed  at  the  head  of  the  two  great 
colleges  represented  in  this  book  stand  men  who 
from  a  theological  as  well  as  from  an  educational 
standpoint  are  the  peer  of  any  in  this  or  sister  states. 
There  is  nothing  more  imperative  than  that  the  in- 
telligent ministry  of  the  state  should  see  to  it  that 
every  young  man  aspiring  to  the  pulpit  should  take 
a  course  of  study  and  if  possible  not  only  as  a  side 
issue  but  in  connection  with  regular  college  work. 
Fortunately  however  for  Little  Rock  the  men  ap- 
pearing as  ministers  are  as  a  rule  of  extraordinary 
high  type  especially  so  are  the  ministers  who  are 
engaged  in  the  regular  pastoral  work.  Many  of 
them  not  only  being  moral  and  religious  examples 
for  the  people  but  also  educational  and  financial 
ones.  The  ministerial  force  of  the  city  pastorate 
is  considerably  strengthened  by  the  young  and  ac- 
tive men  at  the  head  of  the  colleges  of  the  city. 
The  state  has  no  abler  ministers  than  Revs.  Jos.  A. 


42  RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES. 

Booker,  J.  E.  Knox  and  J.  M.  Cox,  all  of  whom 
weiofh  heavily  as  theologians  and  more  or  less  fre- 
quently  fill  the  different  pulpits  upon  the  Sabbath 
days.  The  writer  in  proof  of  what  he  has  said  in 
regard  to  the  excellent  ministry  of  the  city  and  as 
evidence  of  the  strong  ministerial  backing  of  the 
state  will  mention  a  few  whom  he  believes  will  be 
splendid  examples  of  the  ministry  throughout  the 
state. 

Rev.  J.  P.  Robinson,  the  Moses  of  the  col- 
ored people  of  Little  Rock,  Ark. — I  presume  that 
there  is  not  a  man  in  the  city  who  will  object  to 
the  assertion  that  so  far  as  influence  and  power  are 
concerned  that  he  eclipses  any  colored  man  in  the 
city,  taking  in  consideration  the  entire  population. 
It  was  over  eleven  years  ago,  in  the  exceedingly 
dark  and  stormy  days  of  the  First  Baptist  Church 
of  the  Capital  when  Baptist  honor  was  at  its  very 
lowest  ebb:  when  an  intelligent  Baptist  on  account 
of  the  reproach  brought  upon  the  cause  by  the  in- 
judicious acts  and  bad  management  of  others  was 
ashame  to  own  his  connection,  that  God  reached  his 
strong  arm  amidst  the  bulrush  of  the  Jordan  and 
drew  forth  this  modern  Moses  who  has  been  siveh 
a  tower  of  strength  and  blessing  to  the  city. 

The  writer  believes  that  honor  should  be  given 
to  whom  honor  is  due  and  to  this  no  one  should  ob- 
ject.    Therefore  he  presumes  to    say  that    had    it 


RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES. 


43 


not  been  for  the  timely  coming  of  Rev.  J.  P. 
Robinson  to  the  city  of  Little  Rock,  the  Baptist 
Denomination  today  would  be  dragging  in  the  dust 


Rev.  J.  P.  Robinson. 

Pastor  of  First  Baptist  Church,  Little  Rock,  Ark. 

Vice-president  State  Convention. 

and  that  on  the  spot  where  the  greatest  Baptist 
Church  in  the  state  stands  would  be  a  building  di- 
rected to  other  purposes  than  the  worship  of  God. 
No  man  in  the  nation  stands  his  superior  as  a  pastor 
and  very  few  his  equal.     At    the    begining    of   his 


44  RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES. 

pastorate,  the  church  had  a  mortgage  of  seven  or 
eight  thousand  dollars  hanging  over  it  with  a  scat- 
tered  and  discouraged  membership  and  a  name  of 
discredit  and  dishonor  and  simply  a  hull  of  a 
building ;  but  today  it  is  clear  of  a  mortgage,  large 
and  united  membership,  and  a  name  of  credit  and 
high  honor,  completed  with  sixty  gas  burners  and 
a  seating  capacity  of  one  thousand  five  hundred  and 
a  membership  of  one  thousand.  As  a  pulpit  orator 
he  has  but  few  equals  and  is  possibly  the  most  un- 
compromising enemy  the  powers  of  sin  have  in  the 
city.  His  name  for  morality,  honesty  and  Chris- 
tian integrity  is  exemplary.  He  lives  in  a  neatly 
furnished  and  well  built  parsonage  that  his  busi- 
ness push  and  farsightedness  have  lead  his  church 
to  erect.  When  he  came  to  the  city  he  early  con- 
nected himself  with  the  Arkansas  Baptist  College 
where  he  attended  as  regularly  as  the  great  mem- 
bership over  whom  God  has  made  him  overseer 
would  permit,  and  today  to  his  credit,  he  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  highest  class  in  the  college  course  of  that 
well  regulated  Institution.  A  splendid  hint  to 
ministers  who  would  keep  pace  with  this  progres- 
sive age.  r 

No  man  can  look  upon  the  great  work  he  has 
done,  the  brilliant  record  he  has  made,  the  depth 
from  which  he  raised  both  himself  and  his  people 
but  that  he  will  admire  him.     Most  men  preach  out 


RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES.  45 

and  play  out  within  at  least  three  or  four 
years,  but  he  is  now  serving  his  twelfth  year  as 
pastor  and  yet  he  stands  first  in  the  heart  of  that 
great  church  being  elected  the  twelfth  time  without 
a  dissenting  vote.  His  record  abroad  is  equally  as 
brilliant  standing  the  second  man  in  the  state  being 
Vice-president  of  the  State  Convention  and  Chair- 
man of  the  Executive  Board  of  the  National  Con- 
vention. He  is  one  of  the  foremost  and  most  power- 
ful defenders  and  supporters  of  the  Ark.  Baptist 
College,  having  been  one  of  the  Trustees  for  many 
years  and  through  his  church  giving  as  much  fi- 
nancial aid  to  it  as  any  other  man  connected  with 
it.  In  him  the  city  has  one  of  its  ablest  men,  the 
Denomination  one  of  the  most  powerful  and  the 
race  one  of  the  strongest  and  most  honorable. 

Rev.  P.  A.  Knowels,  the  subject  of  the  sketch 
is  one  of  the  representative  men  in  the  race.  As 
a  minister  he  is  deep  and  enthusiastic ;  combining 
logic  and  eloquence  with  great  force  of  character, 
thereby  rendering  himself  most  acceptable  as  a 
gospel  expounder.  As  a  race  man  he  is  positive  and 
reliable.  He  has  been  moderator  of  the  Union 
District  Association  for  four  years,  a  position  of 
great  responsibility  and  honor ;  in  this  capacity  he 
has  rendered  the  most  efficient  services  to  his 
church  and  race.  He  is  one  of  the  Trustees  of  the 
Arkansas  Baptist  College  and    as   a    supporter   of 


4G 


RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES. 


that  Institution  he    stands    the    peer  of    the    other 


Rev.  P.  A.  Knowels, 
Moderator  Union  District  Assoc. 


great  Baptist  leaders  of  the  state.  Nothing  is 
more  convincing  of  racial  possibilties  than  his  bril- 
liant record. 

Rev.  Henry  Bullock  is  Presiding  Elder  in  the 
great  C.  M.  E.  church  and  is  one  of  the  most  pow- 
erful men  in  that  connection.  Like  the  other  great 
thinkers  of  the  state,  he  is  awake  to  every 
interest  of  his  people,  whether  it  be  in  church 
or  state.  Probably  the  state  has  not  a  better  repre- 
sentative of  Negro  intelligence  and  industry  than  he. 
It  is  not  only  as  an  influential  minister  that  he 
points  to  Negro  possibility  but  also  as  a  financier, 


RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES.  47 

for  indeed  he  is  a  man  of  considerable  means  own- 
ing not  only  real  estate  in  the  city  of  Little  Rock 
but  a  large  and  rich  farm  in  the  bottoms.  It  is 
with  distinguished  pleasure  that  the  writer  points 
to  such  worthy  exponents,  for  he  believes  that 
through  the  Rev.  Dr.  Bullock,  the  bright  side  of 
the  race  can  be  seen  reflecting  through  the  mist 
of  prejudice  and  opposition  of  great  future  possi- 
bilities. 

Rev.  J.  L.  H.  Watkins,  A.  M.,  B.  D.,  is  one 
of  Little  Rock's  latest  acquisitions,  having  been 
appointed  to  the  pastorate  of  Bethel  A.  M.  E. 
church  at  the  last  Annual  Conference  of  that  great 
Denomination  by  the  Rev.  W.  B.  Derrick,  Bish- 
op in  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  and  presiding  over  the 
8th  Episcopal  District.  He  succeeded  that  able  and 
worthy  man.  Rev.  J.  M.  Conner,  S.  T.  D.  Hence 
it  can  be  seen  at  once  that  Dr.  Watkins  has  not 
been  in  the  city  sufficient  time  to  make  a  very  ex- 
tensive record  among  the  citizens,  but  the  short 
while  that  he  has  been  in  the  city,  he  has  proven 
himself  to  be  a  man  of  very  high  moral,  intellectual 
and  spiritual  attainments.  He  is  a  classical  gradu- 
ate of  Wilberforce,  a  school  of  a  national  reputa- 
tion and  possibly  stands  second  to  no  school  in  the 
country.  He  completed  his  theological  course  in 
one  of  the  great  schools  of  the  North :  hence  it  is 
evident  that  he  is  one  of  the  ablest  men  in  the    citv 


48  RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES. 

or  state.  It  is  safe  to  predict  for  the  people  of 
that  great  church  a  successful  period,  having  as 
they  have  such  an  able  leader.  He  has  clearly 
demonstrated  his  great  force  of  character  and  in 
him  the  city  again  is  blessed  and  the  great  church 
honored.  The  question  of  his  ability  as  a  leader 
and  pastor  was  clearly  settled  on  the  fourth  Sun- 
day in  February  when  through  his  perseverance  and 
financial  ability,  he  raised  over  $532.19  to  pay  off 
the  indebtedness  of  his  church  and  that  too  after  he 
was  in  the  city  only  a  little  over  two  months.  The 
writer  feels  safe  in  saying  that  record  has  not  been 
surpassed  by  any  man  in  the  state.  It  is  clearly 
demonstrative  of  what  a  young  Christian  colored 
man  can  do  and  what  the  people  of  color  can 
and  will  do  under  the  proper  leadership. 

Rev.  G.  W.  D.  Gaines  is  the  great  evangelist 
who,  possibly,  has  conducted  more  successful  re- 
vivals than  any  minister  in  the  city.  As  an  evan- 
gelical minister,  he  has  no  superior  in  this  or  ajoin- 
ing  states.  He  is  an  exceedingly  successful  pastor, 
having  successfully  served  the  Collins  St.  Baptist 
Church  in  that  capacity  for  eight  or  ten  years.  He 
is  now  treasurer  of  the  Executive  Board  of  the  great 
National  Convention.  He  stands  at  the  head  of  the 
State  Sabbath  School  Convention,  serving  now  his 
fourth  term  as  president  of  that  organization.  His 
fitness  for  leadership  is  thus  acknowledged  by  his 


RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES. 


49 


co-workers,  bv  his  having  been    elected  to  such    a 
high  and  responsible  position   for   four   successive 


Rev.  G.  W.  D.  Gaines, 

Pastor  Collins  Street  Baptist  Church. 

President  State  Baptist  S.  S.  Convention. 


times.  He  is  in  touch  with  all  the  great  Baptists 
of  the  nation  and  is  thoroughly  identified  with  every 
movement  for  good.  In  him  the  city,  state  and 
nation  have  a  very  strong  man,  and  the  race  a  wor- 
thy exponent. 


50  RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES. 

Rev.  Y.  B.  Sinis,  pastor  of  First  Congrega- 
tional Church  has  been  thoroughly  identified  with 
every  progressive  movement  of  the  city.  He  has 
been  pastor  of  the  First  Congregational  Church 
longer  than  any  minister  of  Little  Rock  ;  something 
like  sixteen  or  eighteen  years.  There  is  no  man, 
whether  he  be  a  minister  or  layman,  who  enjoys  a 
higher  standing  and  a  fuller  confidence  than  does 
Rev.  Y.  B.  Sims,  He  is  highly  educated  and  strict- 
ly religious  and  these  combined  with  great  force  of 
moral  character  makes  him  one  of  the  most  power- 
ful forces  for  good  with  which  the  writer  is  ac- 
quainted. Being  both  classically  and  theologically 
trained  and  these  qualifications  supplemented  by 
many  years  of  experience,  his  equal  is  hard  to 
find,  not  only  in  the  city  but  in  the  nation.  The 
writer  knows  no  man  in  the  race  to  whom  he  can 
direct  the  young  men  as  an  example  more  worthy 
of  emulation  than  Rev.  Sims. 

Rev.  J.  C.  Sherrill,  A.  31.,  B.  D.,  the  subject 
of  this  sketch  is  a  young  man  of  ability.  He 
is  just  entering  upon  his  ministerial  duties  as  pas- 
tor of  Wesly  Chapel  M.  E.  Church,  having  been 
assigned  to  that  charge  at  the  last  Annual  Confer- 
ence of  the  great  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  which 
convened  at  Van  Buren,  Ark.  He  has  made  a  re- 
cord for  himself  of  which  he  as  well  as  all  who 
know  him  can  feel  justly  proud.     He  entered  Phi- 


RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES.  51 

lander  Smith  College  when  quite  a  youth;  not  hav- 
ing sufficient  means  to  defray  his  expenses,  he  was 
forced  to  secure  his  livlihood  by  services  after 
school  hours.  This  he  coutinued  to  do  until  he 
completed  the  classical  course  in  Philander  Smith 
College  in  1<S92.  After  which  he  entered  vigorous- 
\y  upon  his  chosen  profession,  the  ministry,  in 
which  he  made  such  wonderful  progress  as  a  pastor 
until  his  brilliancy  caught  the  eye  of  the  great  M. 
E.  Church  and  he  was  tendered  a  theological 
scholarship  in  the  renown  Gammon  Theological 
Seminary  which  he  accepted.  Abandoning  for  the 
time  being  the  pastorate  he  headed  for  Atlanta, 
Ga.,  where  he  entered  the  Gammon  School  of 
Theology  and  completed  his  ministerial  course  with 
honors;  receiving  the  degree  of  B.  D.  In  him  are 
the  possibilities  of  what  the  young  colored  man 
can  do  by  perseverance  and  activity,  although  he 
may  be  practically  penniless,  is  clearly  demonstrat- 
ed. The  young  men  all  over  this  state  can  avail 
themselves  of  the  same  opportunities  if  they  have 
within  them  the  elements  of  manhood.  Philander 
Smith  College  and  the  Arkansas  Baptist  College 
stand  ready  to  receive  and  educate  them.  Their 
services  are  desired  in  many  respectable  families 
which  will  allow  them  to  attend  college.  No  ex- 
cuse brother  for  being  ignorant. 

Rev.  F.  K.  White  is  an    able    young   minister 


52  RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES. 


and  one  of  the  great  powers  for  good  in  the  citv. 
As  a  pastor  he  is  highly  successful,  combining  elo- 
quence and  spirituality  in  his  discourses  which 
make  him  a  very  acceptable  gospel  minister.  He 
is  pastor  of  the  Jerusalem  Baptist  Church  and  has 
a  large  following.  During  his  pastorate  in  the  citv 
his  leadership  has  been  severely  tested;  for  just  as 
he  and  his  congregation  had  completed  their  church 
edifice,  in  some  unknown  way  it  took  fire  and  was 
razed  to  the  ground,  but  by  activity  and  ability 
he  kept  his  forces  together  and  is  now  worshiping 
at  eighth  and  Broadway  Sts.  until  they  can  complete 
their  new  church  building  at  19th  and  High  Sts. 
He  also  pastors  the  Solomon  Temple  Church  at 
Sherrill,  Ark. 

Ilev.  W.  R.  R.  Duncan,  Presiding  Elder  of 
the  Little  Rock  District  of  the  M.  E.  Church.— He 
was  until  the  last  meeting  of  the  Annual  Confer- 
ence pastor  of  Wesly  Chapel  of  which  Rev.  J.  C. 
Sherrill  is  now  pastor.  Rev.  Duncan  two  years  ago 
left  the  district  to  accept  the  pastorate  of  the  above 
named  church  where  he  served  most  acceptably  and 
successfully  for  two  years,  breaking  the  record  of 
all  former  pastors.  But  so  powerful  a  man  is  he 
until  his  services  could  no  longer  be  spared  from 
the  district ;  hence  at  the  last  Annual  Conference 
he  was  again  made  presiding  elder  in  which  capaci- 
ty he  had  so  long  and  honorablv  served  before  en- 


RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES. 


53 


tering  the  pastoral  Held.     In  him   the    city,    state 
and  church  have  an  exceptionally  strong  and  able 


Rev.  W.  R.  R.  Duncan, 

Presiding  Elder  Little  Rock  District, 

M.  E.  Church. 

man  and  a  most  proficient  and  powerful  minister 
and  the  race  one  of  its  greatest  men.  It  is  very 
probable  that  no  man  in  the  great  M.  E.  Church 
has  a  better  record  than  he,  nor  enjoys  a  higher 
confidence  of  the  entire  laity. 

Rev.  P.  W.  Wade,  D.  D.,  is  Presiding  Elder 
of  the  Little  Rock  District  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church 
and  stands  equal  to  any  pulpit  orator  in  the  state. 
He  is  indeed  an  able,  educated,  spiritual  minister. 
He  combines  eloquence,  spirit  and  reason,  and  so 


54 


R A  CIA  L  POSSIBILITIES. 


happily  does  this  until  no  man  can  hear  him  with- 
out realizing  that  he  listens  to  a  philosopher.     So 


Eev.  P.  W.  Wade,  D.  D., 

Presiding  Elder  Little  Rock  District, 

A.  M.  E.  Church. 

highly  does  he  stand  until  he  was  a  very  conspicu- 
ous eondidate  for  the  Bishopric  at  the  last  General 
Conference  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church.  The  race  has 
no  stronger  supporter  than  he.  Upon  racial  ques- 
tions he  is  positive  and  uncompromising.  The  city 
has  not  a  man  of  greater  personal  bearing  than  he. 
Before  being  made  presiding  elder,  he  served  very 
acceptably  as  pastor  of  Bethel  A.  M.  E.  Church 
for  four  successive  years,  leaving  a  record  of  which 
his  whole  connection  is  justly  proud.  - 

Rev.  F.  B.  Carolina  is  Presiding  Elder  of  the 


RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES. 


Pine  Bluff  District  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church.     As 
a  leader  and  a  race  man  he  has  but  few  equals.     He 


Rev.  F.  B.  Carolina. 
Presiding  Elder  Pine  Bluff  District,  A.  M.  E.  Church. 

has  been  actively  engaged  in  the  ministry  for 
twenty-nine  years,  fourteen  years  of  which  time  he 
has  tilled  the  very  high  and  honorable  position  of 
presiding  elder.  The  functions  of  which  the  rec- 
ords of  the  great  church  prove   he   has  discharged 


56  RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES. 

with  great  credit  to  himself  and  satisfaction  to  the 
church.  But  few  men  in  the  race  stand  up  as 
strongly  for  their  convictions  of  right  as  he.  Be- 
ing highly  cultured  and  well  experienced  he  is  hard 
to  duplicate.  In  him  the  city  has  an  honorable  and 
progiessive  citizen;  the  state,  race  and  church  a 
most  enthusiastic  supporter. 

Rev.  W.  S.  Conwell. — The  record-breaking 
pastor  of  Miles  Chapel  C.  M.  E.  Church  as  an  or- 
ator and  leader  stands  shoulder  to  shoulder  with  the 
strongest  men  of  the  city.  Nothing  of  interest  to 
the  great  church  of  which  he  is  a  brilliant  exponent 
escapes  his  vigilant  eye.  Nothing  of  importance  to 
the  race  with  which  he  is  identified  goes  unattended. 
It  was  four  years  ago  that  this  learned  and  eloquent 
divine  came  to  this  city  through  the  directions  of 
the  great  C.  M.  E.  Conference  and  so  worthy  and 
faithful  did  he  prove  himself  to  be  until  he  has 
been  retained  at  the  church  of  his  connection  in  the 
capital  city  since.  The  very  fact  of  his  retention 
bespeaks  his  ability ;  for  indeed  all  the  great  De- 
nominations in  order  to  keep  abreast  with  the  intel- 
ligent bearing  of  the  metropolis  of  the  state  send 
the  meu  who  are  among  the  very  strongest  of  their 
respective  connections  to  the  pastorate  of  the  capi- 
tal church.  He  is  a  self-made  man  having  been  de- 
nied  the  privileges  of  an  extensive  schooling;  but 
through  perseverance  and  close  applicaton  he  has 


RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES. 


57 


worked  his  way  to  the  first  rank  of   an  intelligent 
ministry. 


Rev.  J.  H.  Hoke, 
State  Baptist  Missionary. 

Rev.  J.  H.  Hoke  is  the  eloquent  and  persever- 
ing state  missionary  under  the  supervision  of  the 
Home  Mission  Society  and  State  Baptist  Conven- 
tion. He  has  been  thus  engaged  for  several  years 
and  through  his  untiring  efforts  much  good  has 
been  accomplished  in  the  state.  He  is  among  the 
ablest  ministers  in  the  Baptist  connection  and  a  lead- 


58  RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES. 

er  and  supporter  of  which  the  race  can  feel  proud. 
He  is  a  trustee  and  strong  friend  of  the  Arkansas 
Baptist  College  and  one  of  the  pioneers  of  the  Bap- 
tist cause  in  the  state.  --He  is  president  of  the  mis- 
sionary department  of  the  state  convention,  an  or- 
ganization fraught  with  much  good  to  the  state 
work . 

Space  will  only  allow  the  briefest  possible  men- 
tion of  the  other  ministers  who  fill  a  more  or  less 
prominent  place  in  the  city. 

Rev.  A.  Reddic  is  a  very  able  and  prominent 
minister  of  the  city.  He  is  and  has  been  pastor  of 
the  Shiloh  Baptist   Church  for  many  years. 

Rev.  L*.  D.  Betts  occupies  a  very  conspicuous 
place  in  the  city  ministry.  Until  recently  he  was 
pastor  of  one  of  the  baptist  churches  of  the  city, 
now  disorganized.  He  has  been  called  to  other 
fields  of  labor.  One  of  the  prominent  points  at 
which  he  pastors  is  Hensley,  Arkansas. 

Rev.  W.  C.  Cox  is  a  young  man  of  great  abil- 
ity and  promise.  Having  been  in  the  city  but  a 
short  while  he  has  already  convinced  the  people 
of  his  worthiness  and  ability.  He  is  now  manager 
of  the  A.  M.  E.  Printing  Concern  in  the  city  as 
well  as  pastor  of  Brown  Memorial  A.  M.  E.  Church. 

Rev.  Jordan  Williams,  acting  pastor  of  Mt. 
Pleasant  Baptist  Church,  is  a  man  of  very  high  at- 
tainments, an  able  and  refined  minister  and  a  pow- 
er for  good. 


RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES.  59 

Rev.  E.  Cornelius,  pastor  of  Mt.  Zion  Baptist 
Church,  is  a  young  man  who  by  perseverance  and 
Christian  integrity  has  won  for  himself  the  confi- 
dence and  esteem  of  both  his  church  and  the  citi- 
zens generally. 

Rev.  B.  W.  Alexander,  pastor  of  the  First 
Baptist  Church  of  North  Little  Rock,  stands  among 
the  most  prominent  ministers  of  the  capital.  He 
has  served  his  people  ably  and  satisfactorily,  and 
enjoys  an  excellent  reputation  both  at  home  and 
throughout  the  state.  He  was  elected  a  trustee  of 
the  Arkansas  Baptist  College  at  the  last  Baptist  Con- 
vention, thus  showing  the  esteem  and  confidence  in 
which  he  is  held  by  the  leaders  of  his  denomination. 

Rev.  A.  Rumph,  pastor  Shiloh  Baptist  Church 
of  North  Little  Rock,  stands  very  acceptably  as  a 
minister  and  is  favorably  known  through  the  state. 
He  is  an  able  minister,  doing  much  good  for  the 
church  of  which  he  is  pastor  and  the  race  at  large. 

Rev.  J.  C.  Jones,  pastor  of  the  Centennial  A. 
M.  E.  Church,  is  doing  a  good  work  in  lifting  up 
the  people  of  his  race.  He  is  an  able  preacher  and 
an  excellent  type  of  the  colored  man. 

Rev.  R.  B.  Block  is  pastor  of  Ward  Chapel 
A.  M.  E.  Church.  He  is  convincing  in  all  argu- 
ment and  is  both  scholarly  and  eloquent. 

Rev.  J.  A.  Jeter  is  pastor  of  the  St.  Paul  Bap- 
tist Church  and  is  one  of  the  most  perfect  exponents 


60  RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES. 

of  Christian  integrity.  He  is  an  able,  spiritual 
preacher  and  is  in  touch  with  all  the  great  men  of 
the  state  and  is  thoroughly  identified  with  every 
progressive  movement.  He  is  a  member  of  the  board 
of  trustees  of  the  Arkansas  Baptist  College  and  is 
a  warm  and  able  supporter  of  that  Institution.  He 
is  an  enthusiastic  supporter  of  a  high  moral  and 
spiritual  life. 


RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES.  61 


CHAPTER  VII. 

EDUCATORS. 

The  pleasure  with  which  the  writer  turns  to  speak 
briefly  of  the  educators  and  the  educational  facili- 
ties of  the  colored  citizens  of  the  capital  city,  and 
to  use  a  few  of  them  as  examples  of  the  intellectual 
ability  of  the  Negro  throughout  the  state  is  far  be- 
yond the  ability  of  his  language  to  express.  The 
picture  is  far  more  beautiful  to  the  mind  than  could 
be  accurately  portrayed  by  the  most  gifted  penman 
of  the  age.  Almost  upon  every  knoll  is  located  a 
school  house  or  a  college ;  and  in  almost  every 
home  lives  a  man  or  woman  of  splendid  literary 
attainments ;  but  it  is  not  to  the  general  qualifica- 
tion of  the  citizens  of  Little  Rock  that  this  chap- 
ter is  directed  but  to  that  class  of  men  and  women 
who  have  by  years  of  study  and  investigation  cul- 
tivated their  minds  to  a  very  rare  degree  and  have 
by  perseverance  and  the  midnight  lamp  acquired 
recognition  as  the  leading  educational  spirits  and  at 
the  same  time  demonstrate  the  high  possibilities  of 
the  race  at  large.  And  indeed  our  joy  is  height- 
ened when  we  remember  that  many  of  our  educa- 
tors have    not   only   deservingly    acquired    a    local 


62  RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES. 

reputation  but  also  a  state  and  national  one ;  thus 
bringing  the  citizens  of  the  capital  of  Arkansas  in 
touch  with  the  great  educational  centers  and  edu- 
cators of  the  nation,  comparing  with  them  most 
favorably.  The  writer  conjectures  that  no  city  of 
equal  size  has  a  greater  number  of  really  proficient 
men  and  women;  and  it  would  be  indeed  and  ex- 
ceedingly grand  display  of  literary  talent  if  space 
would  allow  the  entire  list  to  be  mentioned,  but  as 
such  is  absolutely  impossible,  only  a  few  of  the 
most  conspicuous  shall  be  selected  which  will  be 
honorable  representatives  of  all.  This  the  writer 
hopes  as  he  believes  will  be  ample  apology  to  them 
who  may  not  be  mentioned  and.  satisfaction  to  the 
most  severe  public  critic,  especially  when  it  is  un- 
derstood that  the  most  cordial  relation  exists  be- 
tween him  and  the  entire  citizenship. 

Rev.  Jos.  A.  Booker,  A.  31.,  the  man  who 
when  on  an  educational  tour  through  the  North  bv 
his  pure  diction,  flow  of  rhetoric,  gift  of  speech 
and  depth  of  reasoning,  won  for  him  the  designa- 
tion of  the  "Black  Yankee  of  the  South."  And 
which  to  do  him  justice  is  very  becoming  his  great 
courage,  activity  and  ability.  He  is  a  graduate  of 
the  great  Roger  Williams  University,  which  has 
sent  out  from  its  classical  department  so  many 
highly  cultivated  men  and  women.  It  is  very  proba- 
ble that  a  greater  intellectual  giant  never  sat  at  the 


RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES. 


63 


feet   of   more  proficient    instructors  of  that  great 
school  than  J.  A.  Booker.  It  is  highly  possible  that 


EeT.  Jos.  A.  Booker,  A.  M., 
President  of  Arkansas  Baptist  College. 

no  student  ever  met  the  very  extensive  course 
planned  for  that  institution  by  the  best  educators 
of  the  nation  who  conquered  and  digested  it  more 
thoroughly  than  he.  The  proof  is  evident  from  the 
great  record  he  has  made  which  not  only  reflects 


64  RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES. 

the  greatest  possible  credit  upon  himself,  his  state, 
and  the  Arkansas  Baptist  College  of  which  he  is 
now  president,  but  upon  his  Alma  Mater  and  the 
whole  baptist  denomination  of  which  he  is  an  honor- 
able exponent.  In  1887  when  the  Trustees  of  the 
Arkansas  Baptist  College  were  turning  their  eyes 
in  every  direction  of  the  great  baptist  denomination 
looking  for  a  man  whose  shoulders  were  broad 
enough  upon  which  to  rest  the  great  responsibili- 
ties of  the  great  Institution  of  Baptists  of  Ark.,  and 
the  only  exclusively  Negro  baptist  institution  in  the 
country,  and  whose  depth  of  reasoning  and  activi- 
ty was  equal  to  the  task  of  guiding  the  footsteps  of 
that  beloved  Institution  in  the  road  that  leads  to 
success  and  honor,  their  vision  finally  fell  upon 
Jos.  A.  Booker,  a  young  man  from  Roger  Williams 
University.  The  success  attained  under  his  leader- 
ship is  proof  that  the  trustees  were  providentially 
lead  and  that  his  accession  to  the  presidency  was  di- 
vine. For  indeed  since  his  administration  as  presi- 
dent the  college  has  undergone  some  of  the  most  test- 
ing ordeals  known  in  the  experience  of  any  institution . 
The  opposition  of  defeated  aspirants,  the  prejudice 
of  ignorance  and  the  devastation  of  a  fiery  baptism  ; 
but  in  the  midst  and  through  them  all  he  has  stood 
like  a  Grant  at  Richmond  and  a  Stonewall  Jackson 
in  the  heat  of  the  most  furious  contest.  Having 
thus  proven  himself  highly  worthy,    he    honorably 


RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES.  65 

merits  the  everlasting  plaudits  of  a  grateful  city 
and  the  deepest  love  of  a  great  denomination.  Long 
may  he  live  to  do  battle  for  God  and  humanity. 
Late  and  at  a  good  0]d  ll2e  milv  ne  return  into  the 
heavens  to  receive  the  just  reward  of    the  faithful. 


Rev.  J.  M.  Cox.  A.  M.,  B.  D., 
President  of  Philander  Smith  College. 

Rev.  J.  31.  Cox,  A.  M.,  B.  D — It  is  with  the 
greatest  pleasure  that  the  writer  turns  to  pay  a  de- 
serving tribute  to  his  old  instructor.  It  was  at  the 
feet  of  this  Gamiliel  of  modern  fame  that    he   first 


(50  RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES. 

saw  the  light  of  intellectual  day.  It  is  largely  due 
to  his  beneficence,  encouragement  and  training  that 
the  writer  is  reasonably  prepared  to  meet  and  dis- 
charge the  duties  of  life.  It  was  in  1886  that  he 
came  with  his  great  ability  to  the  rescue  of  Philan- 
der Smith  College,  and  to  the  aid  of  the  intellectual 
force  of  the  city  of  Little  Rock.  He  is  a  graduate 
of  Clark  University,  a  school  that  occupies  a  place 
in  the  very  first  rank  of  modern  institutions,  and 
which  has  probably  sent  out  as  many  thoroughly 
prepared  men  and  women  as  any  institution  of 
learning  in  the  country.  But  never  did  the  Faculty 
of  that  great  school  sign  the  diploma  of  a  more  wor- 
thy and  proficient  man  than  he.  Both  thorough' 
religious  and  educated  he  is  a  power  for  good  and 
as  susceptible  as  any  man  in  the  race ;  a  fact  which 
the  city,  state  and  nation  have  long  since  recognized. 
No  student  has  reflected  more  credit  upon  his  Alma 
Mater  than  he.  No  man  stands  higher  in  the  great 
church  of  which  he  is  an  honorable  exponent  than 
he — hence  his  career  is  to  be  highly  recommended 
for  emulation  by  the  youg  man  who  would  be  great 
in  his  day  and  generation.  When  in  18*<>  he  cast  his 
lot  with  the  people  of  this  city  and  Philander  Smith 
College,  of  which  he  is  now  president,  he  was  as- 
signed to  the  chair  of  Ancient  Languages.  Just 
how  well  he  succeeded  is  clearly  demonstated  by 
the  hundreds  of  hie  haec  hocJs  in  this  and  border- 


RA  CIA  L  POSSIBILI  TIES. 


ing  states.  The  truth  of  his  ability  and  worthiness- 
is  the  more  striking  when  it  is  remembered  that  the 
directors  of  the  .schools  under  the  jurisdiction  of  the 
Freedmen's  Aid  and  Southern  Education  Society 
of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  deemed  it  ne- 
cessary to  change  the  faculty  of  Philander  Smith 
College,  he  was  chosen  for  the  honorable  and  re- 
sponsible position  of  president  which  the  records 
declare  he  has  filled  with  great  credit  to  himself, 
church  and  school.  That  he  is  able  to  fill  any  posi- 
tion and  worthy  of  any  trust  committed  to  his  care 
is  acknowledged  by  all  who  know  him. 

J.  G.  Ish,  A.  31.,  is  a  graduate  of  the  Marvville 
Normal  College  in  Tennessee.  He  stands  high  in 
the  first  rank  of  educators  of  the  city  and  state. 
Much  of  the  educational  dvelopment  of  this  city  is 
due  to  his  great  ability  and  untiring  efforts.  Bv 
perseyerance  and  hard  study  he  was  promoted  from 
the  fourth,  third,  second  to  the  first  position  in  the 
gift  of  the  School  Board  of  the  capital.  The  rec- 
ords show,  for  indeed  records  are  the  only  merito- 
rious evidence  of  a  man's  capability  and  worthiness, 
that  all  of  which  he  filled  with  much  honor  to  him- 
self and  satisfaction  to  the  people  and  authorities. 
No  man  in  the  city  enjoys  a  fuller  confidence  of  the 
entire  people,  so  far  as  his  educational  ability  is 
concerned,  than  he:  and  no  man  in  the  city  has 
proven  himself  more   worthy  of   such   confidence. 


68  RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES. 

It  was  seventeen  years  ago  that  he  came  to  Little 
Rock  where  he  was  destined  through  heroic  strug- 
gling to  make  for  himself  a  record  of  which  the 
most  philosophical  might  feel  proud.  The  writer 
believes  that  Little  Rock  has  not  in  her  borders  today 
a  greater  disciplinarian  or  a  more  thoroughly  pre- 
pared man  than  J.  G.  Ish.  At  present  he  holds 
the  chair  of  Mathematics  in  the  Union  High  School 
where  he  is  known  as  the  prince  of  mathematicians. 

J.  K.  Rector,   A.  31.,  LL.  B This   talented 

educator  stands  shoulder  to  shoulder  with  the  most 
scholarly  and  is  an  excellent  type  of  thoroughly  col- 
legebred  men.  His  perseverance  and  proficiency 
have  placed  him  at  the  head  of  the  21st  Street 
School  of  this  city,  which  as  to  tone,  regularity  and 
scholarship  has  but  few  equals  and  possibly  no  su- 
periors in  the  South.  The  confidence  the  people 
and  authorities  have  in  his  ability  is  clearly  demon- 
strated by  the  very  high  and  responsible  position 
they  have  intrusted  to  his  care.  As  a  philosopher 
he  has  wisdom,  as  an  astronomer,  he  has  depth  of 
reasoning  and  as  an  instructor,  he  has  ability  all  of 
which  combine  to  make  him  one  of  the  most  pow- 
erful young  men  of  the  race.  He  is  worthy  of  emu- 
lation, respect  and  trust. 

Rev.  J.  E.  Knox,  31.  S. — Quiet  and  unassum- 
ing but  a  walking  encyclopaedia  is  J.  E.  Knox.  He 
is  a  member  of  the  Faculty  of  the  Arkansas  Bap- 


RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES.  69 

tist  College.  Like  its  president  he  was  bequeathed 
to  the  educational  work  of  Little  Rock  and  the  state 
by  the  great  Roger  Williams  L^niversity,  upon  which 
he  reflects  great  credit.  Since  he  has  been  in  the 
city  he  has  proven  himself  to  be  a  most  worthy  and 
helpful  acquisition  to  the  educational  force  of  the 
capital.  The  doors  of  no  Alma  Mater  ever  stood 
ajar  for  the  exit  of  a  more  eminently  fitted  student 
than  did  Roger  Williams  University  when  she  gave 
to  this  young  Solon  his  honorable  discharge.  It 
was  in  1890  when  the  board  of  trustees  saw  the  ne- 
cessity and  found  themselves  able  to  put  another 
strong  prop  under  the  baptist  state  enterprise  cast- 
ing here  and  there  they  finally  again  resorted  to  the 
great  school  that  had  furnished  them  such  eminent 
timber  for  president  and  with  equal  success  did  thev 
search  because  all  that  could  be  desired  in  a  thor- 
oughly college  man  was  found  in  the  person  of 
J.  E.  Knox  who  is  not  only  a  master  in  the  school 
room  but  is  a  minister  of  very  high  order,  being 
most  acceptable  to  the  most  refiined  audiences  as  a 
pulpit  orator  and  theologian. 

Geo.  H.  W.  Stewart,  A.  31 The  brilliant,  in- 
tellectual light  from  Harvard  is  another  acquisition 
of  great  mental  strength  to  the  educators  of  the 
capital.  The  very  personal  bearing  and  appear- 
•ance  of  the  man  bespeak  intellectual  manhood  of 
the  highest  type.     It  is   hardly  probable  that  the 


R A  CIA  L  POSSIBIL  [TIES. 


state  has  a  man  of  more  depth  of  learning  than  he. 
Unpretendingly  but  dignified,  he  stands  arm  in  arm 
with  the  best  brain  of  the  city.  Like  Cox,  Booker, 
Ish,  Rector,  Knox,  Childress  and  others  to  be  men- 
tioned he  stands  waving  high  the  intellectual  flag 
of  Negro  possibilities.  As  principal  of  one  of  the 
city  schools  he  has  a  record  possible  to  be  made  by 
the  most  active,  scholarly  and  persevering.  Both  in 
Helena  and  Ft.  Smith  he  has  done  much  to  uplift 
his  race  from  an  intellectual  point  of  view.  So  em- 
inently prepared  does  the  Shcool  Board  consider  him 
until  he  is  given  charge  of  one  of  the  day  schools 
and  also  the  night  school  which  is  maintained  for 
the  benefit  of  such  as  cannot  attend  in  the  day.  He 
is  a  most  faithful  and  able  worker. 

R.  C.  Childress,  Ph.   M The  first  classical 

graduate  of  Philander  Smith  College,  now  holding 
a  position  in  his  Alma  Mater,  richly  deserves  the 
conspicuous  place  conceded  him  among  the  first  ed- 
ucators of  the  city.  It  was  in  1888  when  he  dis- 
played the  eloquence  of  his  valedictory  and  entered 
the  arena  of  life  to  measure  arms  with  the  philoso- 
phers. Being  thoroughly  studious  he  continued 
his  research  for  wisdom,  deeper  and  deeper  did  hergo 
into  the  mysteries  of  nature's  laboratory,  farther 
and  farther  did  his  strong  mind  push  into  the  realms 
of  thought  until  today  he  stands  side  by  side  with  the 
deepest  reasoners  of  the  city  or  state.      He  is  a  fine 


FACIAL  POSSIBILITIES. 


exponent  of  hi*  nice,   a  credit  to  his  school  and  a 


Prof.  R.  C.  Childress,  Ph.  M., 
Teacher  in  Philander  Smith  College. 


blessing  to  the  city. 

W.  Welch.— The  subject  of  this  sketch  is 
an  acknowledged  intellectual  giant.  It  is  probable 
that  there  is  not  a  man  of  a  greater  diversity  of 
knowledge  in  the  city  than  he.  His  massive  brain 
seems  capable  of  the  deepest  possible  reasoning. 
After  having  spent  many  years  in  study  at  Philan- 
der Smith  College  he  went  to  Fisk  University  where 
he  drank  from  the  cup  of  knowledge  as  it  was  held 
to  him  by  some  of  the  greatest  educators  of  the  na- 
tion.    Leaving  Fisk  he  returned  to  his  native  state 


RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES. 


locating  in  Little  Rock,  where,  in  connection  with 
other  literary  work,  he  engaged  in  journalism.  It 
was  in  this  pursuit  that  he  forced  recognition  of  his 
rare  ability. 

C.  C.  Riley — The  well  known  subject  of  this 
sketch  is  one  of  the  educators  of  the  city.  The 
great  confidence  the  school  authorities  have  in  his 
ability  is  demonstrated  by  the  number  of  years  he 
has  been  retained  as  principal  of  one  of  the  city 
schools.  The  official  record  shows  that  he  has  con- 
ducted the  Capital  Hill  school,  of  which  he  has 
been  principal  for  many  years,  with  much  credit  to 
himself  and  benefit  to  the  citizens.  He  justly  mer- 
its an  honorable  place  among  the  best  men  of  the 
community. 

J.  S.  Pleasant,  principal  of  the  Argenta  pub- 
lic school,  is  a  man  of  great  talent  and  large  expe- 
rience. He  has  been  engaged  in  the  educational 
work  of  the  state  for  many  years  and  has  been  di- 
rectly connected  with  the  intellectual  progress  of 
the  city  for  nine  years.  He  is  a  master  of  great 
ability  in  the  school  room. 

A.  J.  Jamison  is  a  young  man  of  great  mental 
power  and  who  speaks  for  the  possibilities  of  the 
race  by  his  record.  He  was  given  to  the  city  by 
South  Carolina  and  is  a  worthy  tribute.  His  resi- 
dence is  at  1210  W.  18th  St. 

T.  J.  Davis  is  one  of   Little  Rock's  young  men 


RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES. 


of  great  push.  He  has  done  much  to  aid  in  the  in- 
tellectual progress  of  the  city  and  county.  He  is  a 
splendid  example  of  perseverance  and  activity. 

J.  S.  Jones. — This  popular  educator,  who  has 
made  a  record  of  which  the  most  experienced  might 
feel  proud,  is  most  declarative  in  his  capabilities  of 
race  possibility.  Any  race  can  justly  feel  proud  of 
him.  He  stands  the  equal  of  the  other  great  edu- 
cators. He  is  now  principal  of  the  public  school 
at  Woodson,  Arkansas. 

It  was  argued  by  some  that  woman  was  not  nor 
indeed  could  become  the  intellectual  peer  of  man, 
but  the  writer  has  long  since  put  that  aside  as  be- 
ing preposterous  and  now  stands  ready  to  give  hon- 
or to  whom  honor  is  due  and  concede  merit  to  any 
person  who  should  prove  himself  meritorious.  Hav- 
ing long  since  decided  to  do  right  by  everybody 
whether  or  not  it  met  public  approval  he  could  not 
afford  to  close  this  chapter  set  apart  for  the  educa- 
tors without  mentioning  one  or  two  of  the  many 
highly  educated  women  in  the  capital  city. 

Mrs.  Lottie  E.  Stephens. — No  man  of  justice 
would  hesitate  for  a  moment  to  place  this  lady 
among  the  educators  of  the  very  first  order.  For 
twenty-five  years  she  has  been  engaged  in  the  edu- 
cational work  of  this  city,  during  which  time  she 
has  held  some  of  the  most  responsible  positions  in 
the  gift  of  the  school  board.     She  was  at  one  time 


74  RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES. 

Principal  of  the  Capital  Hill  school,  handling  with 
success  and  ease  from  three  to  four  hundred  chil- 
dren. She  is  now  teacher  of  History,  English  and 
Literature  in  Union  High  School.  During  these 
many  years  of  service  there  is  no  way  of  estimating 
the  good  she  has  done,  the  ignornace  she  has  dis- 
pelled and  the  noble  principles  she  has  sown  in  the 
lives  of  others.  She  has  a  record  of  which  a  prin- 
cess might  justly  feel  proud.  If  she  had  the  phys- 
ical strength  of  a  man,  long  since  would  she  have 
been  at  the  head  of  the  public  schools  of  the  city. 

Mrs.  Bessie  Ashford,  A.  M.,  stands  high  in 
the  rank  of  educators.  She  is  thoroughly  college- 
bred,  having  graduated  from  the  classical  course  of 
Philander  Smith  College  in  1891  which  is  acknowl- 
edged to  be  one  of  the  best  schools  in  the  South. 
She  is  a  worthy  example  of  the  high  intellectual 
possibility  of  Christian  womanhood. 

Mrs.  Mary  H.  Spight. — It  is  hardly  probable 
that  the  Negro  race  has  a  more  representative  wo- 
man than  Mrs.  Spight.  Thoroughly  educated  and 
refined  she  has  been  a  tower  of  strength  to  the  in- 
tellectual force  of  this  city.  Her  record  of  eight- 
een years  of  continuous  service  in  the  city  schools 
is  to  be  envied  by  the  most  refined  educator. 

Mrs.  M.  G.  Ish. — The  woman  who  has  the  rep- 
utation of  being  one  of  the  most  experienced  and 
successful  primary   teachers  in  the  state  is  known 


RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES. 


to  be  Mrs.  Ish.  Among  those  whose  privilege  it  is 
to  lav  a  broad  foundation  for  a  liberal  education 
she  stands  pre-eminently  in  the  front  rank. 

As  the  space  alloted  for  the  educators  is  pressed 
beyond  its  limit  the  writer  is  forced  to  desist.  He 
appreciates  the  fact  that  there  are  others  just  as 
worthy  and  who  would  reflect  just  as  much  credit 
upon  the  educational  work  as  the  persons  who  have 
been  mentioned  and  who  have  rendered  invaluable 
service  in  the  great  battle  against  ignorance  and 
superstition.  He  is  forced  to  conclude  by  apolo- 
gizing for  lack  of  space.  He  believes  the  educators 
mentioned  are  worthy  representatives  and  will  meet 
public  approval.  For  indeed  many  who  know  the 
situation  as  well  as  he.  can  testify  to  the  validity  of 
his  statements ;  and  if  there  be  any  who  doubt  the 
truthfulness  of  this  report,  can  be  readily  convinced 
by  meeting  and  conversing  with  any  who  have  been 
mentioned.  The  writer  is  not  afraid  for  them  to 
come  in  contact  with  the  most  retined  and  educated 
of  the  nation,  for  indeed  he  knows  that  they  are 
equal  to  any  reasonable  educational  emergency. 
What  is  true  of  the  intellect  of  the  capital  city  is 
true  of  the  larger  towns  and  cities  of  the  state. 


RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


MEN  OF  MEANS. 


It  is  with  pleasure  that  the  writer  turns  to  this 
phase  of  his  work  because  he  believes  that  the  men 
of  means  of  his  home  city  will  compare  favorably 
with  those  of  any  other  city  of  the  Union. 

No  race  of  people  can  be  of  much  force  in  the 
affairs  of  a  community  or  nation  without  money. 
Religion  is  superb,  moral  rectitude  is  sublime  and 
have  their  places,  but  they  cannot,  nor  were  they 
designed,  to  fill  the  places  of  gold  and  silver ;  if  so 
Providence  would  have  shown  signs  of  dementia  by 
so  carefully  storing  them  in  nature's  store-house, 
the  vaults  of  the  mountains.  Hence  the  little  mel- 
ody, "You  may  have  all  the  world  but  give  me  Je- 
sus," is  entirely  out  of  order.  It  may  answer  all 
right  enough  at  the  banks  of  the  Jordan  of  death 
but  it  will  not  do  here  in  the  middle  of  this  life 
where  "A  man  is  a  man  for  a  that."  For  where 
there  is  money  there  is  power  and  where  there,  is 
power  there  is  influence;  vice  versa,  where  there  is 
poverty  there  is  weakness  and  where  there  is  weak- 
ness there  is  dependence.  The  reader  who  may  be 
informed  as  to  the  world's  history  readily  com  pre- 


RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES. 


hends  that  wealth  has  been  behind  every  throne  of 
power  and  that  no  set  of  absolute  plebians  have 
ruled  a  country  or  in  reality  had  but  little  to  do 
with  its  ruling.  If  a  revolution  has  taken  place 
and  the  plebians  overthrew  the  aristocracy  the  ple- 
bians either  ascended  to  wealth  and  the  wealthy  to 
pauperism  or  the  aristocracy  still  held  the  power  of 
government.  Hence  it  is  an  established  fact  that 
poverty,  power,  influence  and  independence  do  not 
occupy  the  same  dwelling.  It  is  clear  to  the  writer 
that  if  the  Negro  would  become  anything  like  an 
important  factor  in  governmental  affairs  he  must 
get  money.  He  must  use  all  the  means  at  his  dis- 
posal, he  must  be  economical,  he  must  exercise  all 
the  activity,  perseverance  and  courage  of  which  he 
is  capable  in  order  to  honestly  and  legally  secure 
money.  It  is  our  candid  opinion  that  the  Negroes 
in  Arkansas  stand  far  better  than  any  other  people 
who  have  ever  had  such  embarrassments  as  they  in 
the  same  length  of  time,  which  ought  to  be  satis- 
factory evidence  of  his  equality  with  any  other  race. 
It  is  indeed  strange  how  that  every  civilized  nation 
acknowledges  and  declares  that  the  Negro  has  out- 
run any  other  people  in  the  same  length  of  time 
and  along  all  lines  and  yet  swear  that  he  is  an  infe- 
rior being.  To  say  the  least,  there  is  great  incon- 
sistency somewhere  and  to  the  writer  it  does  appear 
that  there  is  a  "bug  under  the  chip"  which  time  will 


RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES. 


turn  up.  In  evidence  of  the  Negro's  creditable  fi- 
nancial standing,  the  writer  offers  as  examples  for 
the  entire  people  a  few  of  the  financial  spirits  of 
the  capital  city  which  he  feels  will  be  creditable 
representatives  of  the  entire  citizenship. 

Hon.  M.  W.  Gibbs  is  a  bona  fide  resident  of 
Little  Bock  now  enjoying  the  distinguished  honor  of 
a  government  position  as  Consul  General  for  the 
United  States  at  Taniatave,  Madagascar.  He  is  a 
politician  of  national  reputation,  standing  arm  in 
arm  with  such  men  as  Gen.  Powell  Clayton.  Hons. 
H.  M.  Cooper,  W.  S.  Holt,  and  and  others.  He  is 
the  possessor  of  a  large  fortune  which  is  the  result 
of  economy  and  the  activity  of  his  younger  days,  a 
worthy  example  in  this  respect  for  the  young  men 
of  the  race. 

G.  E.  Jones. — The  subject  of  this  sketch  is  a 
typical  financier,  a  business  man  of  the  highest 
rank  and  a  worthy  exponent  of  his  race.  It  was 
he  of  whom  mention  was  made  in  connection  with 
the  undertaker's  establishment.  He  is  the  possess- 
or of  considerable  property,  owning  the  Jones  block 
with  the  magnificent  brick  on  9th  and  Gaines  Sts. 
His  palatial  residence  is  on  7th  and  Gaines  streets,- 
His  paper  is  readily  received  by  any  bank  in  the 
city.  He  owns  and  controls  at  least  sixty  rental 
houses  in  the  city 

Wm.  LaPorte  is  one  of  Little  Rock's  oldest. 


RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES. 


most  reliable  and  wealthiest  citizens.  He  enjoys 
the  confidence  and  esteem  of  the  best  business  men 
of  the  city.  *No  man's  endorsement  is  more  highly 
approved  than  his.  He  owns  residences  and  cot- 
tages all  over  the  city,  the  rent  from  which  makes 
a  handsome  income.  He  is  a  large  contractor,  con- 
ducting the  construction  of  some  of  the  largest  and 
most  expensive  buildings  in  the  city.  His  excellent 
residence  is  located  at  802  Pulaski  street. 

Hon.  G.  W.  Thompson. — Possibly  no  citizen 
of  color  enjoys  higher  esteem  and  a  fuller  confi- 
dence of  the  entire  population  than  does  this  gen- 
tleman. For  years  he  was  a  member  of  the  city 
council  and  was  for  two  years  a  member  of  the 
state  legislature.  In  both  capacities  he  rendered 
most  efficient  services  to  the  entire  people.  He 
owns  the  massive  brick  building  known  as  Thomp- 
son's Hall.  He  is  a  befitting  representative  of  his 
race,  worthy  of  imitation  both  as  a  financier  and  as 
a  citizen.  The  large  amount  of  real  estate  and  mon- 
ey that  he  owns  is  evidence  of  the  economy  and  ac- 
tivity that  he  has  exercised.  Residence.  10th  and 
Chester  streets. 

Hon.  J.  E.  Bush,  the  present  United  State  Re- 
ceiver of  public  money  at  this  point,  stands  shoul- 
der to  shoulder  with  the  most  successful  financial 
men  of  the  capital.  He  enjoys  a  very  high  repu- 
tation as  a  politician.     He  had  the    unanimous  in- 


80  RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES. 

dorsement  of  his  party  leaders  for  his  present  lu- 
crative position.  He  owns  the  brick  hall  and  busi- 
ness property  at  9th  and  Broadway.  His  resi- 
dence is  among  the  most  commodious  in  the  city. 
For  activity  and  business  sagacity  he  is  to  be  rec- 
ommended as  a  high  exponent  of  the  possibilities 
of  the  race. 

It.  W.  Weathers — The  unpretending  but 
wealthy  and  highly  respected  subject  of  this  sketch 
oscillates  in  the  first  rank  of  Little  Rock's  most  suc- 
cessful and  financial  spirits.  He  is  an  old  resident 
of  the  capital  city,  and  the  high  esteem  in  which  he 
is  now  held  speaks  for  the  honorable  record  he  has 
made.  The  real  estate  and  money  he  controls  is  ev- 
idence of  an  active  and  persevering  life.  His  hand- 
some residence  is  located  on  i)th  and  Chester  Sts. 

C.  W.  Keatts  occupies  a  very  prominent  place 
among  the  financial  men  of  the  city.  The  business 
corner  just  opposite  the  Jones  building  is  owned  and 
controlled  by  this  high  exponent  of  the  race,  besides 
other  real  estate  and  considerable  money.  He  has 
a  beautiful  residence  on  10th  and  Chester  Sts. 

Prof.  J.  G.  Isli  is  among  the  best  financially- 
fixed  men  in  Little  Rock.  He  owns  considerable 
real  estate,  besides  a  handsome  residence  on  l()th 
and  Scott  Sts.  His  bank  and  building  and  loan  ac- 
counts stand  very  high.  He  is  an  excellent  patron 
in  many  respects  for  the  young  men  of  the  race. 


RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES.  81 

Calvin  Sanders. — It  is  probable  that  no  man 
of  color  in  the  city  draws  a  deeper  financial  breath 
than  the  subject  of  this  sketch.  Houses  by  the 
scores  and  money  by  the  thousands  are  accredited 
to  his  balance.  To  secure  his  indorsement  upon  a 
note  means  money  at  any  bank  in  the  city.  In  his 
gray  hairs  he  is  to  be  pointed  to  with  pride  as  a 
very  striking  evidence  of  what  economy  and  activ- 
ity can  accomplish.  His  handsome  residence  is  on 
19th  and  Cumberland  streets  where  he  spends  a 
sweet  old  age  with  his  children. 

S.  P.  Hurt  stands  high  in  the  first  rank  of  Lit- 
tle Rock's  men  of  means.  His  promptness  to  du- 
ty and  business  ability  are  made  clear  by  his  reten- 
tion by  the  government  as  a  Railway  Postal  Clerk 
for  the  past  twenty-two  years.  He  is  an  extraor- 
dinary example  of  industry  and  should  serve  as  a 
pattern  for  the  young  Negro.  Together  with  ren- 
tal property  he  enjoys  an  excellent  residence  at  9th 
and  Izard  Sts.  He  has  the  fullest  confidence  of 
the  entire  community. 

A.  L.  Richmond  is  one  of  the  city's  oldest  and 
wealthiest  citizens.  The  many  houses  controlled 
are  evidences  of  a  life  of  activity  and  frugality. 
He  stands  far  out  in  the  sea  of  life  pointing  young 
men  to  his  bright  record  with  pride.  It  would  be 
well  for  the  young  men  to  sing,  "  Where  he  leads 
I  will  follow'." 


«2  RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES. 

Toney  Jordan,  who  in  connection  with  other 
property,  enjoys  one  of  the  most  cozy  residences 
in  the  city  ;it  12th  and  Izard  streets. 

Eddie  Moore  enjoys  a  beautiful  home  at  15th 
and  Gaines  streets.  He  is  worthy  of  imitation. 
By  economy  and  perseverance  he  has  surrounded 
himself  with  such  comforts  as  the  indolent  and 
spendthrift  cannot  enjoy.  He  is  a  splendid  exam- 
ple for  the  race  of  young  men. 

Wm.  Smith  is  among  our  most  enterprising 
citizens,  lie  has  an  elegant  home  at  17th  and 
Chester  streets,  a  bright  record  behind  him  with 
the  confidence  of  all  who  know  him  only  declares 
that  the  man  of  color  can  be  if  he  wills. 

J.  E,  Rector  fills  an  important  place  in  the  first 
rank  of  the  financial  men  of  the  city.  The  confi- 
dence and  esteem  in  which  he  is  held  are  evident 
from  the  long  time  the  people  retained  him  as  a 
member  of  the  city  school  board,  having  served  in 
that  capacity  with  credit  for  more  than  twelve  years. 
Pie  is  a  railway  postal  clerk  at  present.  His  resi- 
dence is  at  3d  and  Rock  streets. 

S.  A.  Jordan  is  one  of  the  city's  foremost 
young  men.  Probably  there  is  no  young  man  in 
the  city  that  stands  higher  among  all  the  people 
than  he.  He  owns  and  controls  considerable  prop- 
erty. He  has  been  in  the  government  postal  ser- 
vice for  a  number  of  years.  His  residence  is  at 
141  (>  Cross  street. 


RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES.  83 

W.  A.  Rector The  subject  of  this  sketch  is 

one  of  the  oldest  and  most  respected  citizens.  His 
record  as  a  business  man  and  one  who  has  held  po- 
sitions of  trust  11  nd  honor  can  possibly  not  be  ex- 
celled by  any.  He  owns  considerable  property  at 
9th  and  Broadway.  His  splendid  residence  is  at 
904  Broadway  street. 

W.  A.  Nixon  stands  prominent  among  the  men 
who  own  real  estate  and  handle  money.  In  con- 
nection with  fine  rental  property,  he  owns  a  splen- 
did residence  at  902  State  street. 

L.  N.  Porter  is  among  the  financial  men  of  the 
city.  As  a  young  man  he  has  a  record  hard  to  ex- 
cel. He  is  a  worthy  example  for  the  young  col- 
ored man.     His  residence  is  at  1720  High  street. 

While  the  writer  has  not  by  a  large  majority  men- 
tioned all  the  citizens  who  rank  high  in  the  finan- 
cial circle,  yet  he  has  extended  this  far  beyond  the 
limit  planned  for  this  particular  purpose.  This  has 
been  done  in  order  that  no  one  should  feel  that  he 
was  slighted  or  that  the  writer  was  selfish.  But 
as  he  is  forced  to  desist,  he  most  cordially  apolo- 
gizes to  the  remainder  of  the  financial  spirits  who 
might  feel  that  they  had  a  right  to  public  recogni- 
tion and  to  whom  the  writer  concedes  their  worthi- 
ness. Hoping  therefore,  as  he  believes,  that  both 
his  apology  and  representations  are  just,  he  confi- 
dently believes  that  thev    will    be    so    regarded  bv 


84  RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES. 

the  people  for  whom  this  work  is  written.  The 
writer  believes  that  the  representatives  of  the  capital 
city  will  answer  for  the  race  throughout  the  state. 
He  does  not  mean  to  be  understood  that  all  the 
people  are  as  well  off  as  any  other  people,  for  what 
is  true  of  Little  Rock  is  true  of  many  other  locali- 
ties in  the  state,  both  in  the  city  and  in  the  coun- 
try. This  is  the  light  side  of  the  picture  and  it  is 
most  encouraging  to  look  at  in  connection  with  the 
educational,  religious  and  moral  progress,  and  in 
progress  along  all  lines.  Let  the  Negro  look  at 
this  side  and  try  to  even  make  it  brighter  by  union 
and  economy  and  the  time  will  soon  come  when  he 
will  demand  a  place  and  get  it,  and  if  no  one  will 
give  him  a  place  he  will  be  highly  prepared  to  make 
a  place  of  his  own. 


RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES.  85 


CHAPTER  IX. 

LAWYERS. 

While  it  is  very  apparent  that  the  clouds  of  prej- 
udice and  opposition  hang  more  heavily  over  the 
head  of  the  colored  man  choosing  law  as  his  pro- 
fession than  they  do  over  that  of  the  aspirants  to 
the  other  professional  pursuits,  yet  it  is  a  fact 
both  encouraging  and  worthy  of  note  that  Little 
Rock  has  attorneys  who  enjoy  records  and  talent 
to  be  much  coveted  by  the  professional  men  of 
brighter  hue.  Through  their  persistent  efforts,  in- 
domitable wills  and  hard  study,  they  have  so  pe- 
rused Blackstone,  Greenleaf  and  all  the  other  au- 
thors known  to  the  legal  talent  of  the  world,  and 
have  so  thoroughly  digested  their  contents  until 
they  have  been  granted  permission  to  practice 
in  all  the  courts  of  the  state  and  United  States  af- 
ter passing  the  most  rigid  and  complex  examina- 
tion. This  ought  to  furnish  cause  for  the  highest 
possible  joy,  not  only  to  the  citizens  of  Little 
Rock  but  to  the  colored  people  throughout  the 
state.  Because  it  is  evidence,  per  se,  of  the  already 
developed  material  in  our  own  ranks,  and  demon- 
strates the  possibilities  of  the  future  boys  and  orirls 


86  RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES. 

now  imbibing  the  sweetness  of  cultivation  in  the 
many  colleges  and  public  schools  all  over  this  coun- 
try. To  the  writer  it  is  perfectly  clear  that  the 
sons  of  Hani  could  rise  from  abject  poverty,  servi- 
tude and  ignorance  to  practice  in  the  highest  courts 
of  the  state  and  all  the  courts  of  the  United  States 
even  the  supreme  court  of  the  nation  in  a  third  of 
a  century ;  that  he  can  and  will  in  the  course  of  time 
make  a  record  unprecedented  to  modern  historians 
and  unparalleled  by  any  of  the  great  races  of  an- 
tiquity. Little  Rock  is  favored  with  six  very  tal- 
ented gentlemen  who  earn  their  daily  bread  by 
seeing  to  it  that  those  who  infract  the  law  are  pun- 
ished, and  those  who  are  law-abiding  go  free.  We 
have  it  from  the  attorneys  themselves  that  they  are 
received  at  the  bar  with  great  cordiality  and  are  ac- 
corded all  the  rights  and  privileges  of  any  of  the 
great  lawyers  of  the  state.  Indeed  so  impartial  are 
judges  in  their  rulings  and  friendly  are  the  mem- 
bers of  the  legal  fraternity  until  color  is  not  con- 
sidered. These  facts  bespeak  the  retreat  of  racial 
differences  and  prejudices  in  the  presence  of  true 
manliness,  ability  and  a  high  civilization.  And  to 
the  man  of  thought  it  says  that  men  are  and  should 
be  measured  according  to  their  worth  and  merit.  In 
testimony  of  the  Negro's  progress  along  the  legal 
line  the  writer  will  mention  briefly  the  lawyersof 
the  city  which  will  serve  as  proof  of  his  condition 
wherever  he  has  been  active  and  studious. 


RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES.  87 

T.  P.  Johnson  is  the  oldest  colored  lawyer  in 
the  city,  having  been  in  the  practice  since  about 
1870.  During  these  years  of  research  and  practice 
he  has  enjoyed  the  esteem  and  respect  of  the  entire 
profession,  and  the  confidence  of  his  many  clients. 
It  is  impossible  to  imagine  the  good  he  has  done 
his  people  during  these  many  years  he  has  so  ac- 
tively and  faithfully  served  them.  Although  he  is 
now  a  man  of  some  seventy  years  of  asfe,  and  to 
these  many  years  are  added  the  hard  times  and  ex- 
periences of  a  soldier's  life,  he  still  stands  before 
the  bar  with  the  most  proficient  men  of  the  state  as 
a  true  exponent  of  what  the  race  can  do.  Lawyer 
Johnson  deserves  credit  that  but  few  men  can  just- 
ly claim,  for  he  served  as  a  soldier  in  the  4i  late  un- 
pleasantness" and  marched  up  from  the  battle  field 
through  blood  to  the  bar  of  justice,  and  continues 
to  plea  for  the  rights  of  his  people.  Let  every 
young  colored  man  point  to  him  with  pride  and 
give  him  an  enthusiastic  cheer  in  his  gray  hairs. 

C.  T.  Lindsay — The  subject  of  this  sketch  is 
among  the  shining  legal  lights  in  this  state.  Hav- 
ing stood  the  test  in  Georgia,  Tennessee  and  Ark- 
ansas, the  evidence  is  complete  as  to  his  great  abil- 
ity. No  man  in  the  city  enjoys  a  fuller  confidence 
of  all  the  people  than  does  attorney  Lindsay.  It  is 
common  in  heavy  suits  to  hear  his  name  in  connec- 
tion with  that  of  such  eminent  lawyers  as  Murphy, 


88  RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES. 

Rose  and  Vaughan.  When  a  case  is  once  commit- 
ted to  his  care  he  spares  no  means  to  bring  it  to  a 
successful  conclusion.  He  has  accumulated  consid- 
erable property  and  money  which  are  the  result  of 
economy  and  perseverance. 

S.  A.  Jones. — It  is  hard  to  find  language  and 
thought  sufficient  to  do  justice  to  the  ability  and 
record  of  this  brilliant  and  talented  young  lawyer. 
Being  admitted  to  the  bar  June  15,  1889,  he  start- 
ed at  once  to  make  his  mark  and  establish  confi- 
dence, which  he  has  done  so  thoroughly  until  peo- 
ple not  only  in  the  city  but  for  miles  around  rush  to 
his  excellently  equipped  office  at  115  Louisiana  St., 
to  secure  his  legal  advice  and  services,  which  he  al- 
ways renders  both  ably  and  honestly.  The  race 
never  had  a  finer  representative  than  S.  A.  Jones. 
His  vigilant  eye  detects  every  silent  movement  of 
the  most  sagacious  opposing  counselor. 

L.  J.  Brown. — Many  men  of  the  city  possess 
extraordinary  gifts  in  the  literary  and  legal  field 
but  few  so  rare  as  attorney  Brown.  His  scholar- 
ship coupled  with  his  legal  attainments  places  him 
in  the  front  rank  of  the  state's  most  proficient  men. 
He  has  entrusted  to  him  the  legal  affairs  of  numv 
of  the  best  citizens  which  is  evidence  of  the  esteem 
in  which  he  is  held.  His  office  is  in  the  Odd  Fel- 
lows' building,  room  3. 

J.  A.  Robinson — This  young  and  able  lawyer 


RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES.  89 

was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1893,  June  15.  His 
push  and  legal  bearing  has  gained  for  him  an  exten- 
sive practice  and  made  for  him  a  record  of  which 
both  he  and  his  friends  are  justly  proud.  In  an  ar- 
gument he  has  all  the  persuasive  powers  of  a  gen- 
ius which  frequently  wins  for  him  the  victory  in  a 
hard  legal  contest.  His  many  clients  consult  with 
him  in  his  splendidly  arranged  office  at  122  Louisi- 
ana street. 

X.  H.  Nichols. — The  best  wine  was  reserved 
for  the  last  at  the  marriage  in  Cana  of  Galilee. 
The  present  is  very  suggestive  of  that  august  occa- 
sion. For  indeed  while  Mr.  Nichols  appears  last 
on  the  roll  of  legal  giants,  he  is  by  no  means  least, 
for  apart  from  his  high  literary  and  legal  attain- 
ments there  enters  into  his  make-up  all  of  the  stern 
qualities  that  go  to  make  a  man.  He  is  honest, 
cool,  courageous  and  deliberate.  These  personal 
attributes  combined  with  his  great  store  of  knowl- 
edge make  him  one  of  the  best  prepared  young 
men  the  writer  has  had  the  pleasure  to  meet.  His 
office  is  in  the  Odd  Fellows'  building. 


90  RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES. 


CHAPTER  X. 


DOCTORS. 


Theory  was  once  among  our  people,  "Why  don't 
our  young  men  enter  the  different  professions  like 
the  young  white  men?  We  will  never  be  anything 
until  our  young  men  have  pride  and  forethought 
enough  about  them  to  try  to  make  something  of 
themselves.  If  we  only  had  our  own  doctors  and 
lawyers  we  would  flock  around  them  and  point  to 
them  with  pride  as  exponents  of  a  great  race." 
Well,  now  brother,  the  time  has  come  for  you  to 
quit  talking  and  go  to  doing.  The  professional 
hobby  for  you  not  doing  your  duty  by  the  race  will 
not  carry  you  any  further.  You  must  show  your 
colors  or  prove  to  the  world  that  you  were  hypo- 
critical in  your  expressions  and  unworthy  of  what 
you  asked.  Through  the  gift  of  the  Meharry  fam- 
ily, there  has  been  established  in  the  city  of  Nash- 
ville, Tenn.,  a  Medical  College,  inferior  to  no  institu- 
tion of  its  kind  in  the  South,  for  the  medical  train- 
ing of  the  young  Negro  men;  and  through  the  un- 
tiring efforts  of  the  "prince  of  men,"  Dr.  G.  W. 
Hubbard  and  his  able  assistants,  scores  of  voung 


RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES.  91 

men  are  educated  up  to  a  medical  standard  that  is  ac- 
knowledged to  he  inferior  to  no  standard  attained 
by  students  in  any  other  medical  school  in 
the  nation,  not  only  in  the  South,  but  from  the 
Gulf  to  the  Lakes  and  from  the  Atlantic  to  the  Pa- 
cific. They  are  given  their  diplomas  and  after- 
wards commissioned  by  the  authorities  of  the  differ- 
ent states  after  a  rigid  examination  to  go  and  heal 
the  sick  and  relieve  the  suffering  of  their  race  and 
such  others  as  they  may  see  lit.  The  young  col- 
ored doctor  after  his  years  of  study  goes  espe- 
cially to  his  own,  but  like  Christ,  many  of  his  own 
receive  him  not ;  but  as  many  as  receive  him  he 
renders  the  most  proficient  service.  These  truths 
have  been  demonstrated  by  the  colored  physicians 
of  Little  Rock,  Arkansas  and  acknowledged  both 
by  the  people  and  white  doctors  of  the  city,  who. 
to  give  them  justice,  are  very  cordial  and  friendly 
toward  their  colored  professional  brother.  The  ma- 
jority stands  ready  at  all  times  not  only  to  meet 
with  them  in  consultation  but  to  render  them  what- 
ever assistance  they  can  in  the  way  of  instruments. 
A  failure  on  the  part  of  any  Negro  to  throw  himself 
in  line  to  assist  in  the  great  effort  to  establish  con- 
fidence in  others  of  the  ability  of  the  race  to  master 
the  highest  professions  is,  to  say  the  least,  an  at- 
tempt at  suicide  upon  himself  and  murder  upon  his 
wife,  children  and  race. 


92  FACIAL  POSSIBILITIES. 

These  lines  are  directed  to  the  entire  race  and  en- 
tire medical  fraternity.  The  number  of  colored 
doctors  in  the  city  at  present  is  four:  W.  J.  E. 
Bruce,  G.  W.  Hayman,  H.  W.  Suggs  and  D.  B. 
Gaines. 

W.  J.  E.Bruce's  office  is  on  the  second  floor  of 
Thompson's  brick  building.  He  enjoys  quite  a  large 
and  lucrative  practice.  He  graduated  from  Mehar- 
ry  Medical  College  in  1886  and  practiced  very  ex- 
tensively and  successfully  at  Wrightsville,  Ark., 
where  he  accumulated  quite  a  snug  little  fortune 
and  moved  to  this  city  in  1891.  He  has  persistent- 
ly pursued  his  profession  to  the  great  satisfaction 
of  himself  and  the  good  people  of  the  capital;  and 
it  is  encouraging  to  note  that  after  seven  years  of 
faithful  and  successful  work,  he  stands  in  the  first 
rank  of  the  best  physicians,  not  only  of  his  own 
race  but  of  any  race.  He  occupies  an  exceedingly 
high  position  in  the  social  world.  His  spacious  res- 
idence is  located  on  11th  and  Pulaski  Sts.,  where 
he  enjoys  the  comforts  of  an  amiable  wife  and  sev- 
eral sweet  babes. 

G.  AV.  Hayman. — His  office  is  in  Jones'  brick 
building  on  9th  and  Gaines  Sts.  He  is  an  exceed- 
ingly successful  practician.  He  graduated  from 
Meharry  Medical  College  in  189o  and  entered  vig- 
orously at  once  upon  the  practice  of  medicine  in 
this  city.     Through  his  ability  and  skill,  many  who 


RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES.  93 

doubted  the  capacity  of  the  colored  man  to  measure 
arms  with  the  white  man  as  a  physician  have  been 
made  not  only  to  acknowledge  the  colored  practi- 
cian the  peer  of  the  white  doctor  but  rather  to  pre- 
fer him  at  the  sick  bed;  because  the  forceps  and 
lancet  areas  familiar  to  this  young  giant  of  modern 
surgery  as  the  Bible  was  to  Spurgeon.  Dr.  Hay- 
man  has  accumulated  quite  a  deal  of  wealth  since 
being  in  the  city.  He  owns  a  very  elegant  resi- 
dence on  17th  and  High  Sts.  where  he  lives,  and 
other  residences  and  business  property  in  the  city. 
H.'W.  Suggs  graduated  from  Meharry  Medical 
College  in  1804  and  came  directly  to  Little  Rock, 
Arkansas,  where  he  directly  opened  an  office  on  the 
north-west  corner  of  8th  and  Gaines  Sts.,  at  which 
place  he  has  since  remained  and  established  a  prac- 
tice that  both  speaks  for  his  ability  and  guarantees 
him  a  reasonable  revenue.  He  enjoys  a  profession- 
al popularity  second  to  that  of  no  other  colored 
physician  in  the  city  and  ranks  shoulder  to  shoulder 
with  the  best  white  men  of  the  medical  fraternity. 
It  is  not  uncommon  to  hear  of  his  name,  as  well  as 
other  physicians',  coupled  with  those  of  such  emi- 
inent  doctors  as  Dibrell.  Southall,  Wat  kins  and 
Green.  Many  consider  that  he  is  a  natural-born 
surgeon  and  that  he  grew  up  in  the  Apothecary's 
laboratory.  He  owns  and  controls  considerable 
property  in  addition  to  his  cash  balance. 


94  RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES. 

D.  B.  Gaines  graduated  at  Meharry  Medical 
College  in  189(3,  returning  to  the  city  and  state  of 
his  adoption.  He  opened  an  office  in  Thompson's 
building  on  Uth  and  Gaines  Sts.,  where  he  has  since 
remained  and  enjoyed  a  reasonable  practice. 

The  writer  being  perfectly  satisfied  that  Little  Rock 
is  up-to-date  so  far  as  colored  physicians  are  con- 
cerned, and  knowing  that  other  localities  in  the 
state  are  similarly  blessed,  he  considers  that  it  is 
high  time  that  the  people  of  color  everywhere 
should  give  to  them  their  unreserved  support  and 
impose  in  them  implicit  confidence,  thereby  encour- 
aging the  rising  generation  to  aspire  to  high  and 
noble  callings  and  allowing  them  to  demonstrate 
to  the  world  that  the  man  under  the  black  skin  is 
capable  of  doing  anything  designed  by  Providence 
that  man  should  do.  The  writer  is  not  begging 
but  simply  trying  to  set  the  facts  clearly  before  his 
people  because  he  believes  that  if  the  people  can 
once  see  the  facts  they  will  appreciate  the  necessi- 
ty of  action.  The  ministry  can  do  untold  good  in 
bringing  about  the  desired  condition  by  first  set- 
ting the  example  of  race  pride  himself  and  encour- 
aging his  flock  to  follow  suit.  But  he  cannot.be 
of  much  service  where  he  preaches  race  pride  and 
acts  race  hatred.  Many  of  the  cities,  towns  and 
country  districts  are  supplied  with  just  as  able  and 
well    qualified   physicians  as   this   city  and  should 


RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES.  95 

have  that  professional  respect  and  confidence  due 
them.  And  the  Negro  who  does  not  give  it  should 
be  condemned  as  a  traitor  and  considered  an  enemy 
to  his  old  slave  ancestors  who  prayed  so  faithfully 
for  him  to  have  his  present  opportunities. 

J.  H.  Smith,  D.  D.  S.— This  popular  dentist 
whose  office  is  at  701  Main  St.,  is  one  of  the  most 
successful  practicians  in  the  city,  and  is  the  only 
colored  man  of  that  profession  in  the  capital.  Not- 
withstanding the  sharp  competition  by  reason  of 
the  many  proficient  white  dentists,  he  has  a  large 
and  lucrative  practice  among  the  wealthy  white 
class.  He  is  thoroughly  prepared  and  courteous. 
He  destroys  the  old  and  foolish  saying  that  if  a 
man  is  a  Negro  he  is  not  respected  by  the  wealthier 
class  of  citizens.  In  him  is  clearly  demonstrated 
that  if  you  have  what  the  wealthy  or  any  other 
class  of  citizens  want  and  do  what  they  want  done 
you  will  be  respected  by  them  and  have  their  pat- 
ronage. Dr.  Smith  is  a  true  example  of  manhood 
and  a  most  gratifying  exponent  of  racial  possibili- 
ties. 

C.  A.  Hewitt,  the  medical  man  of  North  Little 
Rock  and  whose  office  is  on  Magnolia  and  Wash- 
ington Aves.?  is  a  progressive  and  successful  physi- 
cian. He  has  clearly  shown  his  ability  to  cope 
with  the  great  physicians  of  the  other  race.  In 
him  the  people  of  the   north    side  have   been    con- 


96 


RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES. 


vinced  of  the  great  moral  force  and  high  attain- 
ments of  which  the  young  Negro  is  capable.  He 
has  a  large  practice  and  gives  most  excellent  ser- 
vice. 


RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES. 


CHAPTER  XI. 


COLORED  WOMEN. 


The  colored  women  of  the  capital  city  are  fair 
representatives  of  their  sex  anywhere  and  of  any 
color.  Their  reputation  has  been  unmercifully 
abused  and  their  characters  viciously  assailed,  but 
regardless  as  to  what  opinion  that  may  have  been 
formed  of  them  by  people  outside  of  the  city  and 
many  within  its  borders  who  have  had  no  means  of 
knowing  their  true  character  except  through  the 
columns  of  some  prejudiced  newspaper  or  by  the 
information  obtained  through  some  worthless  man 
or  who  have  possibly  had  the  opportunity  to  ob- 
serve the  actions  of  some  vicious  Xegro  woman  who 
is  a  typical  representative  of  infamy ;  the  fact  to 
their  credit  remains  the  same  that  an  overwhelm- 
ing majority  of  them  are  as  pure  as  the  noondav 
sun  on  a  clear  May  day,  and  their  character  and 
lives  are  as  chaste  and  virtuous  and  queenly  as  that 
of  any  vestal  virgin.  The  writer  is  exceedinglv 
glad  that  there  is  a  well  defined  difference  between 
reputation  and  character  and  the  much  more  strik- 
ing is  this  difference  when  the  reputation  has  been 


98  RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES. 

established  by  enemies  or  by  mean  and  vicious  char- 
acters. Reputation  is  what  others  say  of  you; 
character  is  what  you  are.  It  is  clear  from  these 
sentences  that  a  good  woman  may  suffer  slander- 
ous reports  and  be  forced  to  bear  reputation  of  in- 
famy when  she  is  an  angel  and  deserves  the  honor 
due  her  sex.  This  is  largely  expressive  of  the  col- 
ored woman's  condition  everywhere.  A  slander- 
ous misrepresentation  of  their  true  identity  arises 
from  several  sources:  (1)  The  vicious  and  low  of 
their  own  sex,  notwithstanding  that  at  least  eighty 
per  cent  of  the  colored  women  are  morally  pure 
and  religiously  good  the  fact  remains  that  at  least 
twenty  per  cent  of  them  have  no  respect  for  God, 
man  nor  themselves,  and  it  is  by  this  twenty  per 
cent  that  bias  minds  judge  the  entire  race  of  col- 
ored women  and  so  repute  them  to  the  world.  No 
man  of  reason  can  help  but  see  that  it  is  very  un- 
fair so  to  do.  It  is  doing  the  greatest  possible  in- 
justice to  the  thousands  of  women  who  are  living 
right.  One  among  the  highest  duties  devolved  up- 
on the  colored  women  of  today  is  the  sifting  of 
their  society,  to  ostracize  every  colored  woman 
against  whom  there  are  reasonable  grounds  to 
believe  that  she  is  corrupt.  The  necessity  for 
this  is  imperative,  because,  say  what  you  will  of. 
racial  greatness,  no  race  can  truly  be  great  unless 
the  virtue  and  purity  of  its  women  can  be  establish- 


RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES.  99 

ed  beyond  a  reasonable  doubt.  And  this  cannot  be 
done  until  there  is  drawn  a  dividing  line  and  the 
sheep  voluntarily  get  on  the  right  side  and  the 
goats  are  forced  to  get  on  the  left,  i.  e.,  the  good 
women  to  themselves  and  the  bad  and  infamous 
forced  from  among  them.  Blue  blood,  aristocrat- 
ic surroundings,  long  hair,  white  skin,  yellow  skin 
nor  black  skin  make  women.  Women  should  be 
measured  by  their  purity  and  virtue.  And  every 
woman  of  whatever  color,  surroundings  or  what 
not  will  be  largely  judged  by  the  company  she 
keeps.  We  believe  that  every  woman  should  en- 
joy the  comforts  of  the  best  social  circle  until  she 
has  proven  unworthy  and  then  she  should  be  set 
aside  without  debate.  The  colored  woman  is  en- 
tirely too  afraid  of  hurting  somebody's  feelings: 
but  it  is  better  to  do  this  than  to  be  one  conglom- 
erated mass  of  humanity  that  no  one  respects. 
(2)  The  second  source  from  which  the  pure  colored 
women  are  injured  is  a  few  low-lifed.  good-for-noth- 
ing, death-deserving  Negro  men,  who  are  too  trifling 
to  work,  not  manly  enough  to  beg  but  resort  to  the 
destruction  of  their  own  women  for  a  livelihood. 
The  bottomless  pit  of  eternal  midnight  will  be  too 
soft  and  pleasant  a  bed  for  such  a  wretch  to  spend 
eternity.  Providence  and  the  good  people  of  the 
world  should  dig  deep  under  the  mud-sills  of  ever- 
lasting perdition  to  find  a  suitable  habitat  for  such 


100  RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES. 

a  brutish  piece  of  humanity.  Hence  the  women  of 
the  race  should  not  only  be  careful  as  to  what  wo- 
men they  allow  in  their  social  circles  but  should  see 
to  it  that  no  man  of  bad  habits  should  come  with- 
in a  mile  of  the  place.  (3)  The  greed  and  lust  of 
the  vicious  and  undermining  white  man  is  the  last 
dangerous  element  that  we  shall  speak  of.  We  do 
not  mean  to  insinuate  that  the  white  man  as  a  rule 
is  so  debased  as  to  stoop  to  such  brutish  conduct 
but  it  is  that  class  of  low  bred  white  men  that  cor- 
responds to  the  low  bred  Negro.  This  class  of 
long  haired  white  men  are  very  imposing  in  their 
conduct  and  talk  to  the  respctable  colored  wom- 
en. Nothing  is  more  imperative  upon  the  Ne- 
gro men  than  to  demand  them  to  desist.  The  wom- 
an of  color  however  should  demand  respect  from 
them  by  the  purity  of  her  conduct  before  them. 
It  is  from  this  class  of  men  who  by  prowling  the 
slums  come  in  contact  with  a  few  infamous  colored 
women  and  appeasing  their  brutish  lust  come  out 
and  get  upon  the  house  top  and  squeal  out  to  the 
world  that  all  Negro  women  are  vicious  and  bad. 
When  they  know  that  more  willful  and  malicious 
statements  never  fell  from  the  lips  of  men.  Jn 
conclusion  the  writer  regrets  very  much  that  any 
of  our  women  are  untrue  ;  but  he  knows  that  some  of 
the  women  of  our  race  are  like  some  of  the  women 
of  other  races — not  what  thev  should  be.     But  he 


RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES.  101 

believes  that  in  proportion  to  numbers,  he  belongs 
to  a  race  whose  women  are  equal  in  virtue,  purity 
and  religion  to  any  other  women  on  earth. 


->K- 


102  RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

INSTITUTIONS    OF    LEARNING. 

Philander  Smith  College  is  possibly  the  old- 
est classical  school  in  the  city.  It  was  founded  some 
seventeen  or  eighteen  years  ago.  It  is  the  product 
of  the  brain  and  philanthropy  of  the  great  M.  E. 
Church,  under  the  auspices  of  the  Freedmen's  Aid 
and  Southern  Education  Society  which  is  an  organ- 
ization of  one  of  the  greatest  religious  denomina- 
tions in  the  world.  Possibly  no  force  ever  set  in 
motion  has  accomplished  more  for  the  Negro  of 
America  than  this  great  society  backed  up  by  that 
great  church.  No  struggle  has  ever  taken  place  in 
this  nation  in  which  the  Negro  and  his  interests 
were  at  stake  but  what  this  great  church  was  ready 
to  render  him  the  most  timely  and  powerful  assist- 
ance with  tears,  blood  and  money.  The  efforts  of 
this  great  society  to  elevate  and  Christianize  the 
Negro  should  receive  his  highest  and  everlasting  re- 
spect. It  was  in  the  infancy  of  the  colored  man's 
freedom  when  the  heart  of  this  great  society  filled 
with  tears  of  joy  at  his  liberation  went  about  the 
work  of  fitting  him  for  citizenship  and  implanting 


RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES. 


103 


in  him  an  intelligent  idea  of  his  Creator.     Among 


the  many  plans  that  were  adopted  for  his  evangel- 


104  RA CIAL  POSSIBILITIES. 

ization  and  education  was  the  establishment  of  Chris- 
tian schools  all  over  the  South.  Fortunate  was  it 
for  the  people  of  Little  Rock  and  the  state  at  large 
that  one  of  these  schools  was  located  in  this  city. 
It  is  largely  due  the  generosity  and  philanthropy  of 
Philander  Smith  that  the  college  that  bears  his 
name-  occupies  such  a  conspicuous  and  powerful 
place  among  the  forces  operating  for  good  in  this 
city.  During  these  years  of  its  existence  it  has 
been  of  invaluable  service.  The  influence  of  the 
great  truths  taught  there  is  incalculable,  because 
they  have  been  planted  deep  in  the  souls  of  hun- 
dreds of  young  men  and  women  now  shedding  rays 
of  light  in  the  dark  places  of  ignorance  and  super- 
stition all  over  this  country.  The  standard  is  high 
and  rigidly  enforced.  It  was  planned  by  men  who 
stand  at  the  head  of  masterly  enterprises ;  hence 
their  educational  ability  is  beyond  questioning.  Un- 
til 1897  this  institution  was  successfully  managed 
by  the  Rev.  Thos.  Mason,  A.  M.,  D.  D.,  now  prin- 
cipal of  the  Union  High  School  of  this  city.  He  is 
thoroughly  identified  with  the  educational  interests 
of  the  colored  people  of  this  state  and  has  been  for 
a  number  of  vears.  He  is  a  man  of  the  highest 
ability  and  deserving  of  the  deepest  love  and  respect. 
While  his  loss  to  the  school  is  very  much  to  be  re- 
gretted yet  the  great  society  deemed  it  best.  But 
the  regrets  are  atoned  for  by  placing  at  the  head 


RA CIA  L  POSSIBILITIES.  1 05 

of  this  college  a  man  equally  as  worthy  and  as  well 
prepared  in  the  person  of  the  Rev.  James  Monro? 
Cox,  A.  M.,  B.  D.  Tliat  the  school  in  the  hands 
of  President  Cox  will  reach  a  higher  standard  than 
ever  before  is  generally  conceded,  and  the  records 
show  that  it  is  on  the  upward  march. 

Adeline  Smith  Home,  an  indispensable  de- 
partment of  Philander  Smith  College,  is  the  dormi- 
tory for  the  domestic  and  moral  training  of  the 
young  women  who  matriculate  in  the  college.  This 
department  is  under  the  immediate  control  and  su- 
pervision of  Mrs.  H.  M.  Nasmyth,  who  is  one  of 
the  most  accomplished  and  refined  women  the  wri- 
ter has  ever  had  the  pleasure  to  meet.  And  it  is 
with  specific  delight  that  he  points  to  the  home  over 
which  this  lady  is  matron.  If  any  patron  of  that 
great  school  would  have  his  daughter  refined  and 
dignified  and  amiable  in  all  the  graces  of  modern 
civilization  let  him  send  her  to  Philander  Smith 
College  and  place  her  in  Adeline  Smith  Home.  It 
is  true  that  many  of  the  young  ladies  who  come  to 
the  city  to  receive  an  education  find  homes  in  weil- 
to-do  families  and  earn  a  livelihood  by  services  ren- 
dered after  school  hours.  This  plan  of  course  is 
resorted  to  only  by  those  who  cannot  possibly  ob- 
tain their  learning  otherwise  and  in  such  cases  it  is 
possibly  to  be  commended.  But  the  writer  believes 
that  it  is  far  better  for  the  moral  and  religious  sfood 


106  • 


RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES. 


Adeline  Smith  Home. 


RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES. 


101 


of  a  young  woman  to  stay  in  the  dormitory  where 
her  religious  and  moral  training  and  safety  will  be 
assured.  During  the  past  year  the  Home  has  been 
filled  to  its  utmost  capacity.  The  music  and  print- 
ing departments  of  the  college  are  doing  a  great 
work  in  preparing  the  young  people  to  fill  intelli- 
gently any  duty  of  life.  Let  the  young  people 
everywhere  rush  into  this  great  school. 


Arkansas  Baptist  College. 

Arkansas   Baptist  College. — No   man    who 

knows   anything  about   the  Arkansas  Baptist  Col- 
lege,   its   origin,    its   history,    its  present  condition 


108  RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES. 

and  standing  can  help  but  admire,  respect  and  love 
this  mighty  force  operating  for  good  in  this  city, 
state  and  nation.  For  in  its  origin  there  is  ambi- 
tion, in  its  history  there  is  courage,  and  in  its  pres- 
ent condition  and  standing  there  is  honor.  It  was 
about  twelve  years  ago  that  the  leaders  of  the  Bap- 
tists of  Arkansas  planned  and  organized  the  insti- 
tution named  for  the  great  denomination  they  loved 
so  well.  It  was  indeed  a  courageous  step  because 
it  was  a  departure  from  the  rule  and  custom  of  the 
Nego  Baptists  all  over  this  country.  Timid,  weak 
and  narrow  men  do  not  diverge  from  the  trail  that 
custom  has  marked  out.  None  but  heroes  think 
and  act  for  themselves.  Broad  and  worthy  are  the 
races  or  men  who  believe  themselves  able  to  think 
and  act  for  themselves  and  in  obedience  to  that 
opiSftm  break  loose  from  custom,  especially  when 
custom  is  wrong.  The  pioneer  Baptists  of  this 
state  deserve  more  credit  than  this  feeble  pen  is 
able  to  give.  The  desire  and  activity  they  have 
manifested  to  establish  and  maintain  a  first-class  in- 
stitution of  learning,  thereby  enabling  them  to  be- 
queath to  their  posterity  a  legacy  richer  than  the 
gold  of  Ophir  and  more  precious  than  diamonds;, 
are  indeed  praiseworthy.  Nothing  bespeaks  the 
ability  of  the  Negro  more  emphatically,  or  demon- 
strates his  capacity  more  clearly  than  the  building 
and  successful  operation  of  the   Arkansas  Baptist 


RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES.  109 

College.  Opposition  to  its  success  is  sufficient  cause 
to 'declare  a  man  demented.  While  the  efforts  put 
forth  by  the  great  American  Baptist  Home  Mission 
Society  to  Christianly  educate  and  evangelize  the 
colored  people  of  America  are  to  be  applauded,  re- 
spected and  loved,  yet  more  that  society  ought  to 
have  through  all  time  to  come  a  sacred  place  in  the 
hearts  and  memories  of  not  only  the  great  Baptist 
church  but  every  Negro  upon  this  continent,  be- 
cause the  writer  feels  safe  in  saying  that  that  great 
society  backed  up  by  the  great  Baptist  church 
has  done  more  for  the  Christian  civilization  of  all 
the  people  than  any  other  one  force  ever  put  in  op- 
eration in  this  nation.  But  however  powerful  and 
influential  it  may  have  been  or  may  become  to  be 
it  cannot  reflect  honorable  credit  upon  the  Negro 
nor  will  it  permit  him  to  transmit  to  his  posterity 
a  record  of  independent  activity  and  forethought. 
Because  it  is  an  heir  of  Caucasian  genius  and  phi- 
lanthropy, and  generations  to  come  will  no  more 
give  to  the  Ne^ro  credit  for  the  greatness  of  the 
white  man  than  they  will  honor  the  Chinese  for 
American  achievements.  Thus  the  reason  is  very 
.clear  why  the  Negro  Baptists  of  Arkansas  stand  so 
firmly  by  their  ambitious  project.  The  writer  be- 
lieves that  the  Arkansas  Baptist  College,  even  if 
not  completed,  is  more  creditable  to  the  Negroes 
than  anv  other  school  in  the  nation  which  is  under 


110  RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES. 

the  auspices  of  any  other  government  other  than 
those  maintained  and  operated  by  the  Negroes  them- 
selves. 

It  did  not  only  take  ambition  to  lay  the  corner- 
stone but  it  has  taken  the  greatest  possible  cour- 
age to  keep  it  in  its  place.  For  indeed  it  does  ap- 
pear that  no  sooner  did  Negro  brain  and  genius 
cr'ive  birth  to  it  than  did  the  heinous  ghosts  of  wick- 
edness,  superstition  and  ignorance  come  together 
and  swore  by  all  the  angels  of  darkness  that  it 
should  not  live;  and  for  many  years  the  attacks 
upon  its  life  were  most  desperate.  But  like  the 
Son  of  God  in  man's  defense,  such  heroes  as  Mor- 
ris, Robinson,  Booker,  Bennett,  Battle,  Knox,  Har- 
rison, Rodgers,  Lovelace,  Short,  Middlebrooks, 
Knowles,  Harris,  Gaines,  Rose,  and  the  now  saint- 
ed Robinson  and  Little,  together  with  hundreds  of 
others  that  space  will  not  allow  us  to  mention  said 
let  death  deal  her  blows  upon  us  but  let  the  college 
live. 

It  was  March  3,  1893,  after  the  Baptists  of  the 
state  through  the  unceasing  perseverance  and  un- 
tiring devotion  of  their  leaders,  had  erected  a  very 
commodious  building  and  equipped  it  with  many  of 
the  necessities  of  a  first-class  modern  institution, 
including  a  highly  educated  Faculty  and  an  encour- 
aging number  of  students,  and  was  beginning  to 
feel  that  victory  was  about  achieved  when  a  most  dis- 


R A  CIAL  POSSIBILITIES.  1 1 1 

astrons  accident  happened,  the  burning  of  the  col- 
lege building  at  a  late  hour  at  night  and  the  nar- 
row escape  of  President  Booker  and  his  family,  to- 
gether wLh  several  of  the  ladv  teachers  and  a  num- 
ber  of  ladv  students.  Had  we  the  mind  of  an  an- 
gel aud  our  pen  been  plucked  from  the  fairest  flow- 
er of  Eden  and  dipped  in  the  crimson  flow  from 
Calvary  we  could  not  depict  the  horrors  of  that 
night.  The  blow  was  tremendous  to  the  Baptist 
host  of  the  state;  but  before  the  smoke  had  cleared 
awav  or  the  burning  timbers  cooled,  the  invincible 
Morris  standing  upon  the  bank  of  the  "Father  of 
waters,"  in  the  city  of  Helena,  spoke  and  the  cour- 
ageous leaders  all  over  the  state  heard  him  and  im- 
mediately rushed  to  the  scene  of  battle  where  in  a 
few  hours  they  had  prepared  temporary  quarters 
and  set  the  machinery- to  moving  with  Engineer 
Booker  again  at  the  throttle.  From  then  until 
now  they  have  made  the  most  desperate  efforts  to 
replace  the  lost  in  a  much  better,  more  substantial 
and  commodious  building.  Although  incomplete, 
it  stands  as  a  monument  of  honor  not  only  to  the 
people  of  this  state  but  to  the  Negroes  of  America. 
In  influence,  proficiency  and  discipline  it  stands 
second  to  none  in  the  state. 

The  Home  for  girls  is  under  the  immediate  con- 
trol and  supervision  of  Mrs.  Jane  Scruggs,  who  for 
refinement  and  Christian  attainment  has  no  superi- 


112  RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES. 

or  among  her  sex.  Many  of  our  young  women  are 
receiving  that  domestic,  moral,  religious  and  intel- 
lectual training  here  that  is  fitting  them  for  great 
usefulness.  This  however  is  done  in  rented  quar- 
ters. It  behooves  every  patron  and  friend  to  see 
to  it  that  a  modern  dormitory  be  at  once  erected 
on  the  campus  for  the  better  accommodation  of  our 
young  women. 

The  Printing  department  is  thorougly  equipped 
with  a  modern  outfit  and  experienced  instructors. 
In  this  department  an  opportunity  is  given  our  boys 
and  girls  to  learn  a  trade  that  will  be  of  great  ser- 
vice to  them  in  after  life. 

The  institution  operates  as  an  industrial  de- 
partment a  first-class  printing  office. 

The  future  is  bright  for  this  worthy  school. 

During  the  ten  years  of  incumbency  of  President 
Booker,  the  annual  attendance  has  been  more  than 
quadrupled.  Under  the  management  of  the  pres- 
ent faculty  and  trustees  nothing  but  the  highest 
success  can  be  reached. 

Shorter  Univesity. — In  accordance  with  the 
policy  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  to  establish  schools 
of  a  high  grade  in  every  state  where  there  is  a  large 
membership,  this  institution  was  founded  about 
twelve  years  ago  as  Bethel  Institute.  The  name  was 
changed  to  honor  the  founder  of  Arkansas  African 
Methodism — Bishop  James  Alexander  Shorter.     It 


RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES. 


113 


is  now  located  in  Argenta.     Rev.  J.  A.  McGilvry 


Johns,  A.  M.,  is   president,  and   Prof.    Alexander 
Dumas  Delany,  A.  B.,  is  principal. 


114  RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 


PUBLIC  SCHOOLS. 


The  writer  is  unable  to  say  what  great  mind  and 
generous  spirit  first  conceived  the  idea  of  public  ed- 
ucation but  he  agrees  with  those  who  believe  that 
the  system  has  been  among  the  greatest  forces  op- 
erating for  the  Sfood  of  humanity.  Probably  there 
is  no  system  of  education  better  adapted  to  the  con- 
dition and  necessities  of  the  colored  people  than 
the  free  school  system.  The  Negroes  having  been 
turned  loose  from  the  yoke  of  slavery,  ignorant, 
homeless  and  penniless,  they  were  utterly  incapable 
of  the  task  of  extricating  themselves  from  their 
wretched  condition.  The  free  schools  met  many 
of  their  real  necessities.  Say  what  you  will  about 
the  South,  generous  and  philanthropic  has  it  been 
toward  the  posterity  of  its  bondmen.  Certainly 
it  is  only  just  that  the  people  of  the  South  should 
assist  in  raising  from  the  pits  of  superstition  and 
ignorance  the  people  their  fathers  held  as  slaves, 
but  the  generosity  and  philanthropy  are  spoken  of 
because  such  a  few  people  believe  in  doing  their 
duty.  The  great  state  of  Arkansas,  as  other  sister 
southern    states,    has    rendered    the    colored    man 


RA  CIA  L  POSSIBIL I  TIES.  1 1 5 

great  service  in  educationally  preparing  him  for  cit- 
izenship and  for  the  great  duties  of  life.  No  man 
of  reason  can  look  upon  these  truths  lightly.  It  is 
greatly  to  be  feared  that  too  many  people  of  color 
do  not  fully  appreciate  their  opportunities  and 
friends  in  this  respect.  The  present  school  system 
of  public  graded  education  was  first  put  in  opera- 
tion in  this  city  in  18(59.  The  special  law  "For  the 
better  regulation  of  the  public  schools  in  cities  and 
towns"  went  into  effect  February  4,  1861).  The 
law  under  which  the  schools  are  now  managed  is 
practically  the  same,  only  a  few  changes  have  been 
made.  The  first  board  of  School  Directors  began 
their  noble  work  of  public  education  by  organizing 
on  February  17.  the  same  year.  This  extract  is 
taken  from  the  first  annual  report  of  the  Superin- 
tendent of  public  schools  of  lyittle  Eock,  and  from 
which  it  can  be  easily  observed  that  the  city  schools 
which  have  done  so  much  for  the  educational  ad- 
vancement of  the  colored  people  of  this  city  were 
put  under  the  present  system  less  than  a  decade 
after  their  emancipation.  During  the  thirty  years 
that  the  great  work  of  intellectual  development  has 
been  going  on,  this  great  force  has  become  more 
and  more  powerful  until  today  it  rivals  in  efficiency 
and  magnitude  any  other  in  the  country.  Indeed 
if  one  will  only  let  his  mind  reflect  upon  the  possi- 
sible  number  of  children  who   have   attended  these 


116  RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES. 

schools  during  these  years  and  compare  the  threat 
amount  of  good  that  each  may  have  done  and  the 
amount  of  influence  set  in  motion  by  them,  he  can 
Dot  help  but  become  lost  in  the  calculation. 

Our  system  of  public  schools  is  managed  by  an 
efficient  board  of  directors  and  one  of  the  greatest 
educators  in  the  country — Prof.  J.  R.  Rightsell. 
To  the  credit  of  the  tax  payers  and  those  who  are 
placed  in  authority,  four  schools  are  maintained 
for  the  colored  people.  Three  of  these  schools  are 
taught  in  splendid  brick  buildings,  the  other  in  a 
frame.  All  of  these  are  fitted  up  with  many  of 
the  modern  conveniences  for  facilitating  the  cult- 
ure of  the  colored  youth. 

Union  High  School  is  located  on  7th  and 
State  Sts.  It  has  a  large  attendance  and  is  under 
the  principalship  of  Dr.  Thomas  Mason,  assisted 
by  an  able  corps  of  eight  teachers. 

21st  Street  School  is  located  on  21st  and 
McAlmont  Sts.,  and  is  under  the  immediate  super- 
vision of  Prof.  J.  K.  Rector,  assisted  by  a  highly 
prepared  corps  of  seven  teachers. 

Capital  Hill  School  is  located  on  llth  and 
Wolfe  Sts.  Prof.  C.  C.  Riley  is  principal,  a^siat- 
ed  by  five  able  teachers. 

Rector  Avenue  School  is  at  5th  and  Rector 
Avenue.  Prof.  Geo.  H.  W.  Stewart  with  two  well 
trained  assistants  manage  affairs  there. 


RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES. 


11 


The  enrollment  in  these  schools  for  the  year  just 

closed  was  2141). 


118  RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES. 

CHAPTER  XIV. 

CHARITABLE  INSTITUTIONS. 

The  Old  Ladies'  Home. — In  the  writer's  opin- 
ion there  is  no  institution  in  the  city  that  reflects 
more  credit  upon  the  colored  citizens  than  the  es- 
tablishment and  maintenance  of  a  home  for  the 
old  and  decrepit  women  of  the  race.  For  indeed 
no  people  can  be  considered  great  who  neglect  their 
fathers  and  mothers.  One  of  the  great  command- 
ments, and  the  only  one  with  promise  is  "Honor 
thy  father  and  thy  mother  that  thy  days  may  be 
long  upon  the  land."  This  worthy  institution  is 
on  9th  and  Chester  Sts.  It  is  sustained  by  dona- 
tions from  friends.  The  cnurches  in  the  city  take 
a  collection  for  that  purpose  the  first  Sunday  in  ev- 
ery month.  The  worthiness  of  the  young  men  and 
women  is  clearly  demonstrated  in  these  efforts  to 
raise  means  to  defray  the  expenses  of  the  home. 
The  mere  mention  of  the  needs  of  the  old  people 
by  the  pastors  is  always  met  with  a  ready,  hearty 
and  liberal  response.  These  facts  are  evidence  that 
the  young  and  able-bodied  people  of  color  have  as 
keen  conceptions,  as  high  sense  of  honor  and  as  no- 
ble virtues  as   any  other   people.     At   present  the 


RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES.  119 

old  mothers  are  in  rented  property  ;  but  it  is  hoped 
that  the  strong  young  men  and  women  of  the  race 
will  so  rally  and  unite  their  efforts  that  a  lot  may 
be  purchased  and  a  commodious  building  be  erected 
for  the  old  and  infirm  women  of  the  race.  This 
can  be  easily  done,  and  it  is  the  duty  of  every  one 
to  see  to  it  that  the  old  mothers  who  have  worked 
in  pain,  tears  and  prayers  should  have  a  comfort- 
able place  to  rest  their  gray  hairs.  The  officers 
are  Mrs.  Mary  O'Neil,  President ;  Mrs.  H.  E.  Caro- 
lina, Secretary. 

Woman's  Club.— The  Little  Rock  Branch  of 
the  Colored  Woman's  Federated  Clubs  is  doing  a 
great  deal  in  alleviating  the  suffering  of  the  un- 
fortunates in  our  midst.  Nothing  tells  of  the  prog- 
ress, worthiness  and  civilization  of  a  people  more 
than  the  interest  they  manifest  in  the  poor  and  un- 
fortunate of  their  race.  This  organization  consists 
of  many  of  the  most  progressive  and  intelligent 
women  of  the  city.  Their  plan  to  purchase  proper- 
ty and  establish  a  reading  room  is  praiseworthy. 
It  is  earnestly  hoped  that  the  objects  and  purposes 
of  this  organization  will  become  better  known  and 
that  all  will  rally  to  their  support.  Mrs.  Kate  John- 
son is  President  and  Mrs.  Amanda  Lockhart  is 
Treasurer. 


120  RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES. 


CHAPTER  XV 


CHURCHES. 


If  you  want  to  know  the  aspiration  -of  a  people, 
there  is  nothing  from  which  you  can  more  accu- 
rately  judge  than  their  places  of  worship.  The 
man  cannot  be  greater  than  his  acts,  nor  the  peo- 
ple greater  than  their  edifices.  Out  of  the  greatness 
or  littleness  of  the  .soul  the  actions  come  which  be- 
tray the  true  identity  of  the   being  to   the  world. 

Nothing  is  characteristic  of  the  greatness  and  in- 
dustry of  the  people  of  Little  Rock  more  than  the 
many  well  constructed  and  handsomely  furnished 
churches,  and  nothing  shows  their  appreciation  of 
liberty  more  than  the  crowding  of  these  spacious 
buildings  on  days  of  worship.  Nothing  shows  a 
brighter  prospect  for  the  future  than  the  hundreds 
of  children  and  elder  people  who  eagerly  seek  the 
Sabbath  Schools  held  in  these  different  churches. 
Out  of  the  Sabbath  Schools  must  come  the  church 
and  out  of  the  church  must  come  the  men  and  wom- 
en that  are  to  fill  our  places  when  we  are  gone. 
The  pessimists,  the  optimists  and  the  moralists  will 
all  produce  men  and  have  for  all  time  to  come  their 
respective    representatives    in    future    generations. 


RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES.  121 

But  the  world  must  look  to  the  Sabbath  Schools 
and  religious  institutions  of  learning  for  the  men 
aud  women  who  are  to  keep  the  wheel  of  progress 
moving  and  vouchsafe  for  the  perpetuity  of  civili- 
zation. 

That  the  public  may  have  a  clear  conception  of 
the  spiritual  activity  of  the  people  of  the  capital 
city  and  judge  the  Christian  zealousness  of  the  col- 
ored people  therefrom,  a  few  of  the  most  commo- 
dious buildings  will  be  mentioned. 

First  Baptist  Church — This  magnificent  and 
spacious  church  edilice  is  situated  on  the  south-east 
corner  of  7th  and  Gaines  Sts.  It  has  a  seating  ca- 
pacity of  15  JO.  Its  membership  consists  of  LOGO, 
and  this,  supplemented  with  many  friends  and  ad- 
mirers, often  swell  the  number  beyond  standing 
room.  It  is  not  an  uncommon  thing  for  Rev. 
Robinson  to  preach  to  2000  persons  during  a  single 
Sabbath.  So  eloquent  and  strong  a  preacher  is  he, 
until  the  congregation  never  grows  small  nor  the 
interest  slack.  The  Sabbath  School  is  possibly  the 
largest  in  the  state,  having  an  average  attendance 
of  300,  30  well  prepared  teachers,  including  the 
faculty  of  the  Arkansas  Baptist  College  and  sever- 
al public  -chool  teachers.  There  are  eighteen  well 
regulated  classes.  The  interior  is  fitted  up  with  all 
modern  conveniences. 


122  RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES. 


First  Baptist  Church. 


RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES. 


123 


Bethel  A.  M.  E.  Church. 

Bethel  A.  M.  E.  Church.— This  well  con- 
structed and  handsomely  furnished  church  building 
is  located  on  the  north-east  corner  of  !>th  and 
Broadway  Sts.  It  has  a  basement  that  is  used  for 
all  other  purposes  than  regular  church  service. 
The  serond   storv  in  which   the  congregation    wor- 


124  RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES. 

ships  is  neatly  furnished,  and  in  every  respect  pre- 
sents the  industry  and- respectability  of  the  mem- 
bers. It  has  a-' large  and  intelligent  membership 
ranging  from  500  to  <>0(),  and  a  good  Sabbath 
School  with  an  attendance  of  about  200.  These, 
under  the  leadership-  of  the  eminent  divine,  Rev. 
Watkins,  are  doing  a  great  work  in  raising  human- 
ity to  a  hiofh  decree  of  civilization. 

Miles  Chapel  C.  M.  E.  Church.— This  is  one 
of  the  most  beautiful  church  buildings  in  the  citv. 
It  is  located  at  3rd  and  Ferry  Sts.,  in  the  midst  of 
a  large  and  respectable  population.  It  has  a  mem- 
bership of  about  500  and  n  Sabbth*  School  of  200. 
The  beautifully  decorated  interior  bespeaks  the  es- 
thetic training  of  its  membership.  Re\\  W.  S.  Con- 
well  is  pastor. 

Wesley  Chapel  M.  E.  Church.— This  church 
edifice  is  at  11th  and  State  Sts.  It  is  a  commodious 
brick  with  a  seating  capacity  of  500.  It  is  doubt- 
less the  best  ventilated  church  in  the  city.  It  is 
superbly  lighted.  The  membership  numbers  400. 
Its  progressive  Sunday  School  is  supplied  with  the 
latest  and  best  periodical  literature;  its  teachers 
employ  the  most  approved  modern  methods.  The 
Epworth  League  Chapter  is  active  and  well  man- 
aged. The  faculty  and  the  majority  of  the  students 
of  Philander  Smith  College  worship  with  this  high- 
ly cultured  congregation .  Rev.  Joseph  Cephas  Sher- 
rill.  A.  M.,  B.  D.,  is  the  energetic  pastor. 


RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES.  125 

1st  Congregational  Church  is  located  on  9th 
and  State  Sts.  It  is  well  situated  and  tastefully  fur- 
nished. The  intelligent  bearing  and  spiritual  tone 
of  this  church  is  not  surpassed  by  any  in  the  city. 
There  is  no  movement  for  good  but  that  it  does  not 
readily  fall  in  line  and  play  a  most  conspicuous  part. 
The  membership  is  reasonably  large  and  consists  of 
many  of  the  best  people  of  the  city.  The  tone  and 
character  of  the  services  are  highly  spiritual  and 
intellectual,  and  bespeak  the  culture  and  refine- 
ment of  its  pastor  and  members.  It  has  a  flourish- 
ing Sunday  School.     Rev.  Y.  B.  Sims  is  pastor. 

Other  Clinches. — For  want  of  space  we  are 
unable  to  say  more  of  the  other  churches  of  promi- 
nence other  than  give  their  location  and  name  their 
pastor. 

Collins  Street  Baptist  Church,  3rd  and  Collins 
Sts..  Rev.  G.  W.  D.  Gaines,  pastor.  Allison  Chap- 
el Presbyterian  Church.  Rev.  W.  H.  Freeland  pas- 
tor. St.  Paul  A.  M.  E.  Zion  Church,  12th  and 
Spring  Sts.,  Rev.  K.  T.  Thompson,  pastor.  Paines 
Chapel  A.  M.  E.  Z.  Church,  18th  and  Sherman  Sts. 
Mt.  Pleasant  Baptist,  15th  and  Ringo,  Rev.  Jordan 
Williams,  pastor.  Mt.  Zion  Baptist,  9th  and  Cross, 
Rev.  Cornelius,  pastor.  Brown  Memorial  A.  M.  E.. 
11th  and  Ringo.  Rev.  W.  C.  Cox,  pastor.  Centen- 
nial A.  M.  E.~  18th  and  Pulaski.  Rev.  J.  C.  Jones, 
pastor.      Shiloh  Baptist.   Rev.    A.    Reddic,    pastor. 


126 


RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES. 


Ward  Chapel  A.  M.  E.,  Rev.  R.  B.  Block,    pastor. 


Rev.  Jordan  Williams. 
(See  page  58;. 


Jerusalem  Baptist,  Rev.  F.  K.  White,  pastor. 
White's  Chapel  M.  E.,  Highland  Park,  Rev.  Silas 
McDonald,  pastor.  1st  Baptist  North  Little  Rock, 
Rev.  B.  W.  Alexander,  pastor.  ? 


RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES.  127 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

Helena,  Arkansas. 

The  writer  has  spoken  more  in  detail  of  the  col- 
ored citizens  of  the  capital  city  than  space  will  al- 
low for  those  of  neighboring  cities  and  towns. 
Yet  the  fact  remains  the  same  that  the  other  cities 
and  towns  have  just  as  many  representative  men 
and  women  in  proportion  to  population  as  Little 
Rock.  Many  indeed  are  the  representative  colored 
people  who  serve  most  worthily  as  exponents  of  the 
race.  To  mention  these  would  give  the  writer  no 
little  pleasure,  yet  the  impossibility  of  a  lengthy 
mentioning  is  very  apparent.  When  it  is  remem- 
bered that  the  race  has  so  many  eminent  characters 
that  would  serve  honorably  as  indices,  it  is  readily 
observed  that  it  would  require  many  volumes  to 
make  the  briefest  mention  of  them  all.  Since  the 
purpose  of  this  work  is  to  show  the  great  possibility 
of  the  race,  it  will  only  be  necessary  to  put  forth  a 
few  among  the  many  to  prove  the  extent  and  great- 
ness of  Negro  achievements  und  indicating  the  most 
conspicuous  possibilities  of  the  future.     The  pres- 


128  RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES. 

ent  standing  of  the  Negro  is  evidence  of  his  indus- 
try and  thrift;   it  is  indicative  of  a  brilliant  future. 

Believing  that  the  end  sought  can  be  satisfactori- 
ly reached  by  a  brief  mentioning  of  a  few,  such 
will  be  the  course. 

Rev.  E.  C.  Morris,  D.  D.,  the  distinguished 
subject  of  this  sketch,  is  a  citizen  of  Arkansas  and 
a  resident  of  Helena,  a  city  situated  on  the  bank  of 
the  Mississippi  river.  The  writer  is  not  attempt- 
ing to  introduce  him  to  the  public,  because  he  en- 
joys a  national  reputation  and  is  possibly  personal- 
ly known  by  more  representative  men  than  any 
other  Negro  in  America.  As  a  leader  and  repre- 
sentative American  citizen,  he  has  no  superior  in 
the  nation,  and  if  all  prejudice  could  at  once  be 
dispersed  and  color  forgotten,  his  chances  for  the 
highest  honor  in  the  gift  of  the  American  people 
would  be  very  brilliant.  As  to  capability,  broad- 
ness of  views  and  generosity,  he  has  sufficient  to 
make  him  one  of  the  greatest  men  America  ever 
produced  and  to  eminently  fit  him  to  ably  discharge 
the  functions  of  any  office  known  to  church  or  state. 
As  a  man.  he  stands  too  firm  and  liberal-minded  to 
be  manacled  by  denominationalism  or  sectionalism 
when  it  comes  to  questions  that  concern  the  entire 
people ;  too  generous  and  good-hearted  to  even  be 
cruel  to  enemies :  but  whenever  his  people  are 
touched,  whatever  may   be  their  creed  or  sex,  he 


RA  CIAL  POSSIBILITIES.  1 29 


stands  as  a  hero  in  their  defense.     The  possibilities 
of  the  colored  race  make  a  most  encouraging  pres- 


Rev.  E.  C.  Morris,  D.  D., 

President  National  Baptist  Convention  and  State 

Baptist  Convention. 

entation.  What  Dr.  Morris  is  today,  his  posterity 
will  be  tomorrow.  He  is  the  Moses  of  the  Baptists 
in  the  state  and  the  hero  of  the  Arkansas  Baptist 
College.  It  was  sixteen  years  ago  when  the  Bap- 
tist leaders  of  the  state  called  him  to  the  presiden- 


130  RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES. 


cy  of  the  Baptist  State  Convention  in  which  capac- 
ity he  has  served  continuously  since.  He  has  been 
chairman  of  the  Board  of  Trustees  of  the  Arkansas 
Baptist  College  for  thirteen  years.  The  leaders 
of  his  own  state  are  not  the  only  ones  who  admire 
him  and  intrust  Jo  him  positions  of  honor,  but  the 
people  throughout  the  country.  Four  years  ago, 
after  the  death  of  the  venerable  Dr.  Simmons,  he 
was  called  to  the  highest  honor  in  the  gift  of  the 
Baptist  denomination — the  presidency  of  the  Na- 
tional Baptist  Convention,  one  of  the  largest  Bap- 
tist assemblies  that  ever  met  in  America.  Among 
the  other  men  of  great  prominence  are: 

Attorney  J.  N.  Donohoo,  editor  of  the  Hele- 
na Progress,  is  a  lawyer  of  great  success. 

Dr.  Marquess  is  a  practicing  physician  of  much 
ability  and  reputation.  He  demonstrates  most 
clearly  the  possibilities  of  the  Negro  in  the  science 
of  medicine. 

Dr.  P.  W.  Clark  also  stands  shoulder  to  shoul- 
der with  the  worthy  exponents  of  the  race. 

31.  G.  Turner,  the  successful  grocer,  speaks 
plainly  of  what  the  Negro  is  able  to  do. 

All  of  these,  together  with  many  others  that 
space  will  not  allow  to  be  mentioned,  show  that  the 
material  for  future  success  is  within  the  race  and 
of  the  race.  Not  only  Helena,  but  the  country 
around  can  furnish  splendid  examples  of  what  the 
race  has  done  and  can  do. 


RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES.  131 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

Pine  Bluff,  Arkansas. 

The  city  and  vicinity  of  Pine  Bluff  have  many 
men  of  color  who  stand  as  evidences  of  racial  prog- 
ress and  possibilities.  Probably  no  county  in  the 
state  surpasses  Jefferson,  of  which  Pine  Bluff  is 
the  county-seat  and  chief  city,  in  wealthy  and  edu- 
cated colored  citizens.  It  is  highly  probable  that 
some  of  the  wealthiest  and  most  influential  Negroes 
in  the  nation  reside  there.  It  has  men  who  are  not 
only  creditable  from  a  financial  standpoint  but  some 
of  the  finest  educators,  business  men,  ministers. 
physicians  and  lawyers  in  the  country  are  residents 
of  this  very  progressive  and  typical  southern  city. 
Among  the  financial  spirits  who  demonstrate  most 
clearly  Negro  possibility  and  ability  to  have  and 
manage  large  estates  are  Wiley  Jones,  Ferd  Havis, 
and  A.  M.  Middlebrooks.  These  representatives, 
in  common  with  many  others  do  not  only  destroy 
all  averse  testimony  as  to  what  the  Negro  is  and 
will  be  from  a  financial  standpoint  but  bespeak 
most  emphatically  the  political  phase  of  Negro  life 


132  RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES. 

in  this  country,  for  they  are  indeed  politicians  of 
national  repute.  It  is  said  with  authority  that  some 
of  these  individuals  are  woth  $150,000. 

J.  C.  Corbin,  A.  M.,  principal  of  Branch  Nor- 
mal College^  stands  in  the  front  rank  of  educators. 
He  has  been  at  the  head  of  this  institution  since  it 
was  founded  more  than  twenty  years  ago.  He  has 
held  many  positions  of  honor.  He  was  at  one  time 
State  Superintendent  of  Public  Instruciton  in  this 
state,  which  position  he  tilled  with  great  credit  and 
satisfaction  to  the  entire  people  and  honor  to  him- 
self. No  race  can  boast  of  a  more  worthy  exponent 
than  he.  In  him  all  arguments  attempting  to  deny 
the  possibility  of  the  Negro  to  reach  the  intellectu- 
al heights  occupied  by  the  most  scholarly  of  the 
land  are  met  and  overwhelmingly  defeated.  What 
Corbin  is  today  is  possible  for  his  posterity  and  dis- 
ciples to  be  tomorrow  and  even  more,  for  they  have 
the  advantage  of  his  teachings. 

M.  R.  Perry,  A.  M.,  principal  of  the  city  pub- 
lic schools,  is  another  example  of  Negro  ability  and 
possibility.  In  him  is  found  all  that  could  be  de- 
sired by  the  most  skeptical.  No  man  can  come  in 
contact  with  him  without  realizing  that  he  is  in  fhe 
presence  of  a  representative  of  a  race  in  which  are 
the  elements  of  greatness. 

Prof.  J.  C.  Smith,  the  first  assistant  in  the 
Branch  Normal  College,    is   a  voun£    man  of    rare 


RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES.  133 

literary  attainments.  His  fitness  is  attested  by 
his  continuous  service  as  an  instructor  in  his  Alma 
Mater  since  graduation. 

Prof.  T.  G.  Childress  is  another  member  of 
the  faculty  at  the  Branch  Normal  College.  He  is 
a  very  scholarly  gentleman  and  points  significantly 
to  very  great  racial  possibilities. 

Rev.  Lewis  Johnston  is  principal  of  Richard 
Allen  Institute,  a  splendid  school  of  the  Presbyte- 
rian church.  He  is  a  poet  of  considerable  distinc- 
tion being  the  author  of  the  work,  "Words  of  Con- 
solation." As  an  educator  he  serves  most  happily 
as  evidence  to  establish  the  conclusion  sought  in  this 
work  that  the  possibilities  of  the  race  are  exceed- 
ingly encouraging.  Under  his  care  that  school  has 
done  much  to  bring  the  intellectual  light  to  the 
many  stumbling  in  the  darkness  of  ignorance. 

J.  W.  Rowland,  M.  D.,  is  one  of  the  most  suc- 
cessful physicians  in  the  state.  He  is  a  graduate 
of  Meharrv.  His  great  experience  and  scholarly 
attainments  make  him  one  of  the  most  powerful 
men  in  the  profession.  He  has  a  splendid  home 
and  is  one  of  the  finest  representatives  of  race  prog- 
ress and  possibility.  So  extensive  is  his  practice 
until  he  is  forced  to  keep  four  horses  to  meet  his 
demands. 

G.  W.  Bell,  A.  M.,  31.  D.,  is  a  graduate  from 
two  of  the  finest  colleges  in  the  North.     He  stands 


134 


RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES. 


shoulder  to  shoulder  with  the  most  expert  physi- 
cians of  the  country.  He  was  at  one  time  a  state 
Senator  from  his  district  and  did  great  service  to 
his  people  and  state  in  that  capacity.  No  race  can 
feel  ashame  of  a  man  like  Dr.  Bell.  If  he  is  not 
indicative  of  racial  progress  and  possibility  the  writ- 
er would  like  to  have  a  hearing  from  the  most  skep- 
tical concerning  the  material  he  has  in  his  race. 


Rev.  J.  C.  Battle. 

Rev.  J.  C.  Battle  is  one  of  the  foremost   and 


RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES.  135 

most  intelligent  divines  in  the  country.  As  a  pas- 
tor and  leader  he  has  but  few  equals.  Probably 
no  chuch  in  the  country  is  conducted  more  system- 
atically, and  therefore  shows  the  force  of  a  really 
intelligent  and  Christian  leadership  than  his.  It  is 
authoritatively  reported  that  ninety-live  per  cent  of 
of  his  church  members  own  their  own  homes  which 
is  largely  due  to  his  far-sightedness  as  a  leader 
and  his  great  love  for  his  people.  He  enjoys  a 
most  popular  and  wide  reputation.  He  has  been 
secretary  of  the  Baptist  State  Convention  for  more 
than  twelve  years,  and  a  member  of  the  Trustee 
Board  of  the  Arkansas  Baptist  College  from  its  or- 
ganization. He  was  for  a  number  of  years  clerk 
of  Jefferson  county  and  a  member  of  the  Pine  Bluff 
city  council.  In  all  of  these  positions  he  clearly 
demonstrated  the  ability  of  the  Negro  to  cope  with 
any  man. 

Rev.  A.  31.  3Iiddlebrooks  is  a  man  of  con- 
siderable means  and  great  financial  ability.  As  a 
minister,  he  stands  the  equal  of  any  in  the  coun- 
try. Deep  reasoner,  eloquent  speaker,  good  schol- 
ar, able  politician,  great  financier  and  thorough 
Christian  are  the  characteristics  that  combine  to 
make  him  one  of  the  most  powerful  men  of  whom 
the  writer  has  any  knowledge.  He  held  a  verv 
lucrative  and  responsible  government  position  in 
Pine  Bluff  for  many  years.     He  is  one  of  the  Trus- 


136  RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES. 

tees  of  the  'Arkansas  Baptist  College  and  also  a 
State  Sunday  School  Missionary. 

Rev.  J.  C.  Rogers  occupies  a  very  prominent 
place  among  the  ministers  of  Pine  Bluff  and  the 
state  of  Arkansas.  He  is  pastor  of  one  of  the  larg- 
est churches  in  the  state  and  is  a  member  of  the 
Arkansas  Baptist  College  Trustee  Board.  He  is 
thoroughly  identified  with  every  interest  of  the 
race  and  humanity  generally.  He  is  a  true  speci- 
men of  manhood. 

Rev.  W.  S.  Sherrill,  pastor  of  the  M.  E. 
Church  of  Pine  Bluff,  is  a  representative  minister. 
He  is  a  splendid  exponent  of  the  race,  showing  by 
what  he  has  done  that  which  is  possible  for  the  in- 
dustrious colored  man  to  do. 

Rev.  J.  M.  Murchison,  pastor  of  the  A.  M. 
E.  Church,  is  a  man  of  exceedingly  high  attain- 
ments. He  was  for  many  years  presiding  elder  in 
the  church  of  his  connection.  Prefering,  however, 
the  pastorate,  he  was  stationed  at  Pine  Bluff,  one 
of  the  best  appointments  in  the  state.  He  is  an 
able  minister,  combining  logic  and  eloquence,  there- 
by rendering  himself  most  acceptable  as  a  pastor. 
He  is  the  owner  of  a  handsome  residence  in  the  city 
of  Little  Rock  at  1821  Bishop  St.,  where  his  fami- 
ly resides. 

Smith  &  Crump. — Among  the  many  men  who 
have  business  talent  are  Smith  and  Crump  who  do 


RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES. 


a  first-class  grocery  business.  These  prominent 
representative  men,  with  many  others,  are  doing  a 
large  and  profitable  business.  It  is  clearly  demon- 
strated that  the  Negro  is  capable  of  engaging  in  the 
higher  pursuits  of  life. 

As  an  educational  city,  Pine  Bluff  stands  very 
prominent.  Aside  from  the  excellent  public  school 
system,  the  Branch  Normal  College  and  Richard 
Allen  Institute  are  located  there. 


138  RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES. 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

Ft.  Smith,  Arkansas. 

Probably  no  city  in  the  state  has  a  larger  num- 
ber and  a  higher  grade  of  representative  Negroes 
than  Ft.  Smith.  If  it  were  necessary  and  space 
would  permit  the  writer  could  mention  many  citizens 
of  color  who  would  do  honor  to  any  race  by  being 
called  a  member  of  it.  But  as  such  is  unnecessary 
he  feels  that  a  brief  mention  of  a  few  will  suffice. 

Rev.  H.  S.  Berry,  31.  D.,  is  pastor  of  the 
A.  M.  E.  Church.  He  is  a  graduate  of  Meharry, 
and  for  a  number  of  years  practiced  in  Nashville 
and  then  in  Little  Rock.  It  is  safe  to  say  that  Dr. 
Berry  has  no  superior  in  the  state  in  his  knowledge 
and  practice  of  medicine.  Personally  we  are  under 
many  obligations  for  his  able  instructions  and  time- 
ly advice  in  the  study  of  medicine.  He  was  Pro- 
fessor of  Anatomy  in  his  Alma  Mater  for  quite  a 
while.  As  a  scholar,  he  is  one  of  the  most  brilliant 
of  the  race:  there  is  scarcely  any  subject  with 
which  he  is  not  thoroughly  conversant.  As  a  min- 
ister and  pulpit  orator  he  is  one  of  the  most  power- 
ful— convincing  in  his  argument*?,  logical    in     his 


RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES.  139 

discourses,  smooth  and  graceful  in  his  manner  and 
sublime  in  his  eloquence.  These  high  qualities  com- 
bined with  great  race  pride  prepare  him  to  be  of 
the  greatest  good  to  the  people.  In  him  the  race 
has  a  giant: 

Rev.  L.  J.  VanPelfc  is  a  young  man  of  great 
promise  and  ability.  He  is  pastor  of  a  baptist 
church  in  the  ''Border  City."  Being  scholarly  and 
eloquent  he  enjoys  great  popularity  as  a  pulpit  ora- 
tor. He  represents  the  fine  material  upon  which 
the  race  can  rely. 

Rev.  H.  P.  Strong,  the  young  and  able  pastor 
of  the  M.  E.  Church,  is  a  graduate  of  Gammon 
School  of  Theology.  He  is  most  acceptable  as  a 
pastor  and  represents  one  of  the  milestones  of  prog- 
ress and  possibility. 

E.  O.  Trent,  A.  M.,  principal  of  the  High 
School,  is  one  of  the  most  scholarly  and  successful 
teachers  in  the  country.  He  is  a  master  of  peda- 
gogy, and  through  his  great  ability  and  persever- 
ance many  boys  and  girls  have  been  turned  out  of 
the  dungeon  of  ignorance  and  superstition  and  made 
to  move  in  the  paths  of  educational  liberty  and  in- 
telligence. It  is  with  pleasure  that  we  mention 
this  exponent  of  intellectual  manhood  and  possibil- 
ity. 

Among  the  successful  business  men  we  mention 
H.  Chism    and     Win.    Ri^nev.     These    gentlemen 


140  RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES. 

I 

clearly  demonstrate   racial  possibility  in  the  com- 
mercial world. 


-^p^- 

^u^ 


RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES.  141 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

Hot  Springs,  Ark. 

Like  the  other  cities,  towns  and  localities  of  the 
state,  Hot  Springs  is  well  supplied  with  represent- 
ative Negroes  in  almost  every  pursuit.  It  shows 
that  the  industrious  and  intelligent  colored  citizens 
do  not  live  in  Little  Bock,  Helena,  Pine  Bluff  and 
Fort  Smith  alone,  but  are  located  all  over  the  state. 
The  writer  would  not  feel  so  encouraged  at  the 
possible  outcome  of  the  Negro  if  only  one  here  and 
there  stood  prominent  and  in  splendid  circumstan- 
ces, but  the  knowledge  of  these  being  all  over  the 
country  awakens  a  sense  of  gratitude  inexpressible. 

Among  the  few  that  shall  be  mentioned  in  con- 
nection with  Hot  Springs  is: 

Rev.  J.  R.  Bennett,  pastor  of  the  Roanoke 
Baptist  Church  and  editor  of  a  respectable  and 
weighty  newspaper,  is  a  talented  man.  He  ranks 
with  such  men  as  Morris,  Robinson  and  Battle,  of 
Helena,  Little  Rock  and  Pine  Bluff  respectively. 
He  was  for  many  years  president  of  the  State  Sun- 
day School  Convention  where  he  did  much  to  bring 
about   the  hieh   standing  of   the  organization.     He 


142  RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES. 

is  at  present  secretary  of  the  Board  of  Trustees  of 
the  Arkansas  Baptist  College  of  which  he  has  been 
a  member  for  many  years.  It  is  hard  to  find  a  bet- 
ter example  of  Christian  manhood  and  industry 
than  he.  To  use  Rev.  Bennett's  past  as  a  telescope 
through  which  to  see  the  future  of  the  Negro,  one 
can  see  that  the  final  triumph  of  the  race  is  inevi- 
table. 

Rev.  T.  H.  Jackson,  D.  D.,  the  eloquent  and 
scholarly  pastor  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  of  Hot 
Springs,  is  among  the  most  highly  educated  and 
successful  ministers  in  that  section  of  the  country. 
He  is  widely  known  and  stands  among  the  first  men 
of  his  church.  He  was  at  one  time  president  of  the 
famous  Wilberforce  University  of  Ohio.  Until  re- 
cently, he  was  president  of  Shorter  University,  at 
that  time  located  at  Arkadelphia,  Ark.  It  has 
since  been  transferred  to  North  Little  Rock.  As 
a  man  the  race  has  not  a  better  exponent.  If  a 
skeptic  questions  the  greatness  of  the  race  to  pro- 
duce men  able  to  master  all  the  languages  and 
sciences,  no  better  man  could  be  introduced  to  him 
than  Dr.  T.  H.  Jackson.  The  writer  feels  sure 
that  the  eminent  divine  is  fully  capable  of  implant- 
ing such  truths  within  the  skeptical  as  to  convince 
them  that  the  cranium  of  the  Negro  contains  brain 
equal  to  that  of  any  other  man. 

Rev.  S.  L.  Short,  pastor  of   Mt.  Canaan  Bap- 


RA  CIA  L  POSSIBILITIES.  1 43 

tist  Church,  is  a  representative  Negro  minister,  and 
by  his  record  and  intelligence  speaks  most  emphat- 
ically of  the  possibilities  of  the  future  Negro. 

Rev.  J.  M.  Johnson,  pastor  of  the  M.  E. 
Church,  is  a  graduate  of  Gammon  Theological  Sem- 
inary and  is  both  scholarly  and  logical.  He  refutes 
all  arguments  against  Negro  intelligence. 

Rev.  D.  Nightingale,  the  last  but  not  least  of 
the  Hot  Springs  ministers,  would  be  regarded  by 
a  critic  as  a  representative  of  a  great  people. 

J.  H.  Blount,  principal  of  the  Hot  Springs  pub- 
lic school,  is  one  of  the  most  successful  educators 
in  the  state.  For  many  years  he  was  the  leading 
educational  spirit  of  Forrest  City.  His  standing  as 
an  educator  is  made  very  prominent  when  it  is  re- 
membered how  eagerly  his  services  are  sought  by 
the  State  Superintendent  of  public  instruction  to 
conduct  summer  Normals.  In  these  Normals  he 
has  proven  himself  a  teacher  of  the  highest  type. 
As  a  young  man.  Prof.  Blunt  stands  in  the  front 
rank  of  the  best  of  the  state.  He  is  an  index 
pointing  to  the  future  Negro.  What  he  is  will  be 
the  inheritance  of  his  posterity. 

Miss  Jessie  Ratcliffe,  one  of  the  able  assist- 
ants in  the  public  schools  of  Hot  Springs,  is  an 
example  of  feminine  educational  ability. 

The  public  school  system  of  Hot  Springs,  like 
that    of   the   other  cities  mentioned,   is   an   excel- 


144  RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES. 

lent  one  and  is  doing  much  to  elevate  the  colored 
people  to  a  higher  standard  of  intellectuality.  It 
is  clearly  seen  that  Hot  Springs  compares  most  fa- 
vorably with  other  places  along  the  educational 
line. 


RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES.  145 


CHAPTER  XX. 

Miscellaneous. 

That  the  skeptic  may  be  denied  the  privilege  of 
attempting  the  destruction  of  the  end  sought  in  this 
publication  by  accusing  the  author  of  restricting 
his  examples  of  race  progress  to  the  large  and  well 
regulated  cities  of  the  state,  he  deems  it  expedient 
to  go  out  into  the  districts  and  small  towns  and 
call  up  a  few  of  the  representative  Negroes.  In- 
deed, in  almost  every  locality  in  the  state  are  to  be 
found  Negroes  of  splendid  attainments  and  in  pros- 
perous circumstances.  It  is  not  desired,  however. 
to  burden  the  public  with  a  routine  of  names,  but 
as  the  writer  is  a  most  ardent  believer  in  the  ultimate 
triumph  of  the  Negro  in  America,  he  begs  to  apol- 
ogize for  presenting  a  few  more  most  worthy  char- 
acters whom  he  believes  will  serve  as  a  stimulant  to 
.those  who  may  read  it.  It  will  be  noticed  that  our 
examples  are  taken  from  no  particular  section  of 
the  state. 

Rev.  F.  L.  Joms.  B.  S.,  is  a  graduate  of  Phi- 
lander Smith  College  and  is  president  of  the  Arka- 


146  RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES. 

delphia  Academy,  where  he  is  doing  a  great  work 
in  uplifting  his  people.  Through  him  the  future 
of  the  race  can  be  plainly  seen. 

Prof.  F.  J.  Gordon  is  one  of  the  most  intelligent 
and  highly  educated  men  in  the  state.  He  is  vice- 
president  of  State  Baptist  Sunday  School  Conven- 
tion. He  is  an  accomplished  educator  and  testifies 
in  common  with  thousands  of  others  the  possibili- 
ties of  the  race.     He  lives  at  Arkadelphia. 

Prof.  L.  W.  Futrell,  A.  J/.,  is  an  alumnus  of 
Philander  Smith  College  and  is  now  principal  of  the 
High  School  at  Clow,  Arkansas,  which  is  a  school 
of  great  promise  being  fostered  by  the  wealthy  Ne- 
groes of  the  M.  E.  Church  in  that  locality.  No 
race  has  a  better  example  of  intellectual  manhood 
than  he. 

Rev.  S.  Wimfead,  presiding  elder  of  the  A.  M. 
E.  Church  and  a  resident  of  Arkadelphia.  is  a  man 
of  great  worth  and  a  Christian  minister  to  whom 
we  can  point  with  pride. 

L.  Parchman,  3f.  D.,  a  graduate  of  Meharry,  is 
doing  a  large  and  lucrative  practice  at  Keo.  Arkan- 
sas, where  he  owns  a  large  cotton  farm  and  is  rec- 
ognized as  a  most  successful  physician.  . 

Rev.  J.  W.  Jackson,  presiding  elder  of  the  For- 
rest City  District,  M.  E.  Church,  is  an  able  and  in- 
telligent minister  and  a  great  financier.  He  is  a 
happy  exponent  of  a  large  and  progressive  class. 


RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES. 


147 


Rev.   W.  0.  Emory,  D.  I).,  until  reentry  a  prom- 
inent minister  and  presiding  elder  in  the  great  M.  E. 


a!'- 

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. 

. 

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Hex.  J.  W.  Jackson. 
Presiding  Elder,  Forrest  City  District. 


Church,  Little  Rock  Conference,  is  a  graduate  of 
the  Gammon  School  of  Theology  and  is  one  of  the 
finest  pulpit  orators  in  the  nation.  He  is  a  tower 
of  strength  in  his  church  and  among  his  people, 
and  is  an  ardent   supporter  of  the  educational,  ma- 


148  RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES. 


terial  and  spiritual  interests  of  the  entire  people. 
It  is  with  special  delight  that  the  writer  refers  to 
him  for  he  answers  the  question  of  Negro  possibil- 
ities very  affirmatively.  His  patriotism  is  clearly 
shown  in  his  interest  in  the  Spanish-American  war. 
He  raised  a  company  and  is  now  1st  Lieutenant  of 
Company  G  of  the  7th  Immune  Regiment,  U.  S.  V. 

Rev.  H.  R.  McMillan,  pastor  of  the  1st  Baptist 
Church,  Brinkley,  is  a  scholarly  and  able  preacher. 
He  is  a  worthy  example  for  the  aspiring  young. 

Rev.  F.  C.  Potter,  A.  M.,  pastor  and  principal 
of  the  Cotton  Plant  Academy,  at  Cotton  Plant, 
Arkansas,  sustains  the  reputation  of  his  great  Alma 
Mater,  Lincoln  University.  He  is  a  brilliant  exam- 
ple of  the  best  product  of  American  culture. 

Rev.  R.  H.  Harrison  is  the  successful  pastor  of 
the  baptist  church  at  Plummerville.  He  owns  con- 
siderable property  and  is  a  splendid  example  of  in- 
dustry and  economy. 

S.  R.  Cowan,  Esq.,  of  Cotton  Plant,  is  one  of 
the  most  successful  farmers  and  business  men  in 
the  state.  His  race  pride  is  evidenced  by  the  splen- 
did education  he  has  given  all  of  his  children  in 
some  of  the  best  schools  in  the  country.  He  stands 
for  moral,  material  and    intellectual  advancement. 

Rev.  J.  M.  Suggs,  the  worthy  pastor  of  the  bap- 
tist church  at  Forrest  City,  is  an  eloquent  and  pro- 
gressive minister.  The  young  may  emulate  his  life 
with  profit. 


RACIAL  P0SSTB7LITTES.  149 

L.  S.  Appleby,  A.  M.,  LL.  B.,  is  a  graduate 
of  Philander  Smith  College  and  the  Law  Depart- 
ment of  Central  Tennessee  College.  He  is  a  suc- 
cessful educator  and  business  man.  He  operates 
a  large  and  well  regulated  business  house  at  Shib- 
lev,  Arkansas. 

Prof.  A.  B.  Crump,  A.  B.,  is  the  talented  prin- 
cipal at  Texarkana.  The  great  number  of  years  of 
continuous  -service  and  the  high  plane  to  which  he 
has  brought  the  schools  at  that  place  are  evidences 
of  his  fitness  and  ability. 

Ptv.  W.  A.  J.  Phillips,  I).  D.,  is  one  of  the 
rightful  leaders  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church.  He  is  a 
financier  of  no  mean  ability.  His  beautiful  and 
most  ele^antlv  furnished  home  in  Little  Rock  is  an 
honor  to  the  entire  population.  Dr.  Phillips  is  a 
presiding  elder  in  his  church. 

Prof.  11.  C.  Yerr/er.  principal  at  Hope,  has  been 
well  fitted  for  his  work  by  Philander  Smith  College 
and  the  Chicago  University.  He  is  a  success  be- 
yond any  question. 

Bev.  J.  E .  Toomba,  presiding  elder  of  the  Hot 
Springs  District.  M.  E.  Church,  is  a  splendid  type 
of  Christian  manhood.  He  is  a  most  successful 
minister. 

Prof.  S.  T.  Boyd  is  the  genial  principal  at  Pres- 
cott.  He  is  a  master  of  his  profession  and  is  high- 
lv  esteemed  hv  all  who  know  him. 


150  RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES. 

W.  II.  Strickland,  A.  J/.,  LL.  B.,\*  an  alum- 
nus of  Rust  and  Michigan  Universities.  He  is  prin- 
cipal at-Altheimer  and  president  of  State  Epworth 
League.     He  is  active  and  scholarly. 

J.  P.  Gettis,  A.  M.,  is  a  graduate  of  Oberlin. 
He  is  principal  of  the  White  River  Academy  at 
Brinkley.  He  is  thoroughly  educated  and  highly 
religious,  and  is  fitting  the  young  minds  for  great 
things  in  the  future. 

Itev.  G.  X.  Johnson  is  a  graduate  of  Gammon 
Seminary.  He  and  his  noble  wife  are  untiring 
workers.  He  is  pastor  of  the  M.  E.  Church  at 
Fayetteville. 

Prof.  E .  Craic/en,  the  young  principal  at  New- 
port, ably  represents  the  aggressive  element  in  his 
profession.     He  is  a  success  of  the  highest  order. 

Rev.  A.  A.  Williams,  D.  D.,  represents  the  high- 
est type  of  intellectual  and  spiritual  manhood.  His 
worth  is  shown  by  the  great  number  of  years  of 
continuous  service  as  presiding  elder.  His  accom- 
plished family  lives  in  Little  Rock. 

Rev.  J.  W.  McCrary  is  pastor  and  principal  at 
Fordyce.  He  is  one  of  the  strongest  young  men 
in  the  state.  In  him  the  Baptists  have  an  able  rep- 
resentative. 

Rev.  T.  S.  Sandefur  is  pastor  at  Gurdon.  He 
is  one  of  the  coming  voun£  men  of  the   race.     His 


RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES. 


151 


great  ability  was  recognized  and  honored  by  elect- 


» 

■'   •- 

-■*.*>.   ".'•-."->.-<■  "-^  ;-"- 

„■- 

■  -       -     ^<B 

gi& 

^X/5 

tjrlfev*'' 

"_■> 

mV:* "-''"' 

">*'"- 

■-">-•:■ 

'--  H 

IBkJ-"^ 

Rev.  T.  S.  Sandefur. 


ing  him   president   of   the   State   Baptist    Sunday- 
School  Convention  at  its  last  meeting  in  Helena. 

Rev.  W.  F.  Locelare  is  one  among  the  able  min- 
isters of  the  state.  He  was  for  a  number  of  years 
a  student  of  Roger  Williams  University  where  he 
ploughed  deep  in  the  classics.  He  is  an  ardent  sup- 
porter of   the  Arkansas    Baptist    College.      Pie  is  a 


152 


RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES. 


very  popular  pastor  and  educator  at  Wynn,  Arkan- 
sas where  he  serves  the  people  most  faithfully 


■ 

aafiBBBBy . . 

m 

Uev.  J.  M.  Harris. 

lieu.  J.  M.  Harris,  the  popular  pastor  at  Texar- 
kana,  stands  prominent  among  the  powerful  men 
of  the  state.  He  is  treasurer  of  the  State  Baptist 
Convention  and  also  one  of  the  Trustees  of  the 
Arkansas  Baptist  College.  He  is  an  example  of 
race  proficiency  and  a  representative  Negro. 

Rev,  7\  R.  "Wambiei  pastor  of  the  M.  E.  Church 


RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES.  153 

at  Van  Buren,  is  a  pointer  to  racial  greatness.  Hav- 
ing spent  many  years  in  Philander  Smith  College, 
he  is  an  able  and  intelligent  minister. 

Rev.  P.  R.  Neil,  the  energetic  pastor  at  Arka- 
delphia,  stands  as  a  monument  for  good,  waiving 
the  intellectual  flag  of  Negro  possibility. 

./.  J.  M.  Scipio,  of  Wrightsville,  Arkansas,  is 
among  the  most  successful  and  intelligent  men  in 
his  section  of  the  country.  He  is  an  excellent  type 
of  manhood. 

Rev.  I.  Neteon,  the  Van  Buren  pastor,  is  a  giant 
in  an  argument  for  good.  He  is  one  of  the  ablest 
preachers  in  western  Arkansas. 

Rev.  A.  H.  Miller  is  one  of  the  most  successful 
ministers  and  real  estate  men  in  the  race.  He  is  a 
man  of  considerable  money  and  refinement.  As  an 
example  of  industry,  perseverance  and  capability, 
he  would  do  credit  to  any  people.  He  is  a  member 
of  the  Board  of  Trustees  of  the  Arkansas  Baptist 
College  and  is  recognized  as  being  very  successful 
in  all  pursuits.  He  is  influential  in  the  financial 
portion  of  Helena. 

Rev.  S.  A.  Motley,  the  scholarly  educator  and 
pastor  at  Newport,  Arkansas,  is  among  the  most 
prominent  Negro  educators.  For  many  years  he 
was  principal  of  the  Newport  public  school  and 
pastor  of  the  baptist  church  at  that  place.  He  is 
indeed  worthv  of  what  he  has  achieved. 


1 54  RA  CIAL  POSSIBILITIES. 


Rev.  R.  E.  Bryant  is  one  of  the  Trustees  of  the 
Arkansas  Baptist, College  and  a  minister  of  consid- 
erable influence  in  the  state,  serving  as  a  most  bril- 
liant representative  of  racial  possibilities. 

Rev.  A.  McXeil  is  very  conspicuous  in  ministe- 
rial work  and  educational  progress. 

Rev.  G.  G.  Baker,  presiding  elder  in  the  A.  M. 
E.  Church,  with  headquarters  at  Little  Eock,  Ar- 
kansas, is  recognized  both  by  his  church  and  state 
as  an  able  worker  and  representative  citizen.  As 
presiding  elder,  he  has  served  long  and  successful- 
ly, thus  evidencing  his  ability.  It  is  hardly  prob- 
able that  the  African  Methodist  Church  or  the  race 
has  a  better  exponent  than  he. 

Rev.  W.  II.  Morris,  the  talented  presiding  elder 
in  the  M.  E.  Church,  is  doing  a  great  work  on  the 
Pine  Bluff  District.  As  a  man  and  citizen,  he  ranks 
shoulder  to  shoulder  with  the  race's  best  men.  His 
life  can  be  emulated  with  pride  and  profit. 


RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES.  155 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

ALCOHOL. 

Alcohol  is  a  powerful,  diffusible  stimulant.  It 
is  the  intoxicating  ingredient  in  spiritous  liquids, 
such  as  wine,  portor,  ale,  cider  and  all  other  liquids 
which  have  undergone  fermentation.  It  is  a  pecu- 
liar liquid,  generated  in  vegetable  juices  and  infu- 
sions called  alcohol.  "Wine  is  the  fermented  juice 
of  the  grape,  cider  that  of  the  apple  and  beer  that 
of  the  fermented  infusions  of  malt.  Alcohol  being 
the  product  of  fermentation,  necessarily  exists  in 
all  fermentable  liquors  and  may  be  obtained  from 
them  by  distillation.  The  product  of  vinous  liq- 
uors forms  the  different  ardent  spirits  of  com- 
merce. Now  as  to  its  uses,  the  difference  between 
a  poison  and  a  remedy  is  not  its  quality  but  its 
quantity.  Alcohol  in  small  doses  and  at  proper 
times  is  a  most  valuable  remedy :  but  on  the  other 
hand,  if  used  excessively  it  is  a  most  terrible  poi- 
son. In  small  doses,  given  in  a  prescribed  form, 
it  excites  the  system,  renders  the  pulse  full  and 
gives  additional  energy  to  the  different  muscles 
and  temporary  exaltation  and   exhileration   to   the 


156  RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES. 

mental  faculties.  In  larger  and  intoxicating  doses, 
it  occasions  the  same  symptoms  for  some  time,  but 
speedily  induces  a  state  of  impaired  perceptions 
and  motor  power  which  are  followed  by  one  of  total 
insensibility  and  unconsciousness — a  true  apoplec- 
tic state — and  occasionally  speedy  death. 

Habitual  alcoholic  excess  produces  the  following 
results :  an  impaired  digestion  and  unsteady  nerves  ; 
trembling  hands;  dullness  of  senses;  torpid  mind. 
Sleep  is  frequently  disturbed  with  frightful  dreams 
and  is  not  refreshing.  After  unusual  excess  delir- 
ium tremens  is  apt  to  occur.  Habitual  drunken- 
ness, sooner  or  later,  often  induces  a  state  of  imbe- 
cility with  partial,  and  sometimes  complete,  paral- 
ysis. Man's  internal  organs — the  heart,  the  liver 
and  the  kidneys — suffer  especially  from  the  abuse 
of  alcohol.  Life  is  the  totality  of  the  functions 
and  organs,  so  all  of  these  are  to  be  regarded  with 
equal  care  and  concern.  Alcohol  excites  the  heart 
and  causes  the  machinery  of  life  to  move  at  an  un- 
usual, dangerous  and  damaging  speed;  thus  it  tires 
and  weakens  both  the  brain  and  heart  and  puts  ad- 
ditional work  on  the  kidneys,  doing  damage  that  is 
permanent  inasmuch  as  it  is  fatal.  The  brain, 
however,  would  stand  a  great  deal  of  strain  and 
work  and  would  perhaps  be  less  easily  iniluenced 
by  alcohol  were  it  not  for  the  nerve  articulation 
and  its  auxiliarv,  the  heart.     The  heart  has  bv  no 


RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES.  157 

means  the  vigor,  elasticity  and  resources  as  the 
other  organs.  Sorrow  and  fear,  suspense  and  anx- 
iety, aH  rush  with  their  burdens  and  blows  to  the 
heart,  and  great  joy,  success  and  triumph  which 
one,  under  the  influence  of  alcohol,  often  imagines, 
act  just  as  strenously  as  shocks  upon  this  delicate 
organ.  If  the  heart  is  enfeebled,  the  brain  cannot 
recieve  a  sufficient  amount  of  oxygenated  blood, 
because  it  depends  upon  the  heart  for  a  constant 
supply  of  this  nutrient  fluid ;  hence  if  the  heart  be- 
comes weak  the  brain  is  impoverished,  or  the  brain 
may  become  congested  by  reasons  of  a  failure  on 
the  part  of  the  heart  to  relieve  its  overcharged 
load.  When  it  is  remembered  how  the  heart 
shakes  at  any  and  every  emotion  of  consequence, 
how  it  sinks  with  fear  and  palpitates  with  desire  and 
stands  still  with  loss,  horror  and  defeat,  it  is  seen 
that  lives  of  strong  emotion,  unceasing  efforts  and 
aspiration  must  have  a  great  deal  to  do  with  the 
condition  of  the  heart.  To  overtax  it,  insomania, 
insanity,  paralysis,  apoplexy  and  even  mortal  kid- 
ney troubles  may  be  developed ;  while  dyspepsia  and 
hysterics  and  derangement  of  like  characters,  which 
without  being  necessarily  fatal,  yet  are  of  sufficient 
severity  to  render  life  a  burden,  are  too  frequently 
the  consequences  to  more  than  are  spoken  of. 
When  the  heart  is  weak,  every  other  organ  of  the 
body  is  in  great  danger.  But  by  reason  of  strength 
some  come  to  fourscore  years  in  spite  of  it. 


158  RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES. 

Alcohol  brings  troubles  of  heats  and  colds,  beat- 
ings and  boundings,  holdings  of  the  breath,  nerv- 
ous starts  and  dizzy  pauses  of  expectation.  The 
worries,  strains  and  shocks  of  this  enemy  on  the 
human  system,  whether  sudden  and  vehement  or  of 
long  and  continued  frequency,  like  a  series  of  re- 
peated blows,  will  ultimately  result  in  intense  ag- 
ony. Alcohol  acts  as  a  caustic  on  the  living  tissues 
of  the  body,  and  by  injection  into  the  veins,  it 
causes  sudden  death  by  coagulating  the  blood. 
It  inflames  the  liver  and  in  habitual  drunkenness 
this  organ  is  increased  far  beyond  its  natural  size, 
thus  rendering  it  incapable  to  discharge  its  part  of 
the  work  to  be  done  in  the  human  body.  But, 
however,  the  most  serious  damage  is  done  to  the 
nerves  and  brain.  The  nerves  are  those  tissues 
that  convey  the  different  sensations  to  the  brain. 
Like  white  threads  or  cords,  they  go  from  all  parts 
of  the  body  to  the  brain.  Many  are  so  small  until 
the  eye  cannot  see  them  without  the  aid  of  a  mag- 
nifying glass.  When  the  blood  carries  alcohol 
through  all  parts  of  the  system  some  of  it  comes 
in  contact  with  the  nerves  and  robs  them  of  a  part 
of  their  moisture,  rendering  them  unable  to  prop- 
erly perform  their  duty.  It  is  authoritatively  said 
that'*  it  instantly  contracts  the  extremities  of  all 
the  nerves  it  touches  and  deprives  them  of  sense  and 
motion,  destrovin£  their  use."     The  brain  feels  it 


RA CIAL  POSSIBILITIES.  1 59 

when  but  a  small  amount  is  taken.  It  goes  to  the 
head,  the  impression  being  conveyed  by  the  sym- 
pathetic system  of  nerves  and  the  blood  also  being 
saturated,  it  soon  reaches  the  seat  of  knowledge  and 
upsets  the  parlor  of  the  mind :  for  with  every  im- 
pulse of  the  heart  the  blood  rushes  with  great  rap- 
idity to  the  most  remote  parts  of  the  body. 

The  finest  part  of  the  brain  feels  the  effect  first, 
and  the  finest  thoughts  and  best  desires  of  the 
drinker  are  first  destroyed.  The  finer  portion  of 
the  brain  having  been  paralyzed  and  the  good  char- 
acteristics of  humanity  having  been  forced  into  the 
background,  conscience  having  been  throttled  and 
choked  to  insensibility,  red  eye  and  brutality  as- 
cend the  throne  of  the  human  mind,  and  thus  hav- 
ing control  of  the  will  drive  the  drinker  to  the 
most  desperate  deeds.  It  will  almost  cause  a  man 
to  think  that  he  is  ruler  of  the  universe  and  that 
all  other  human  beings  and  even  things  inanimate 
must  bow  before  him  or  run  the  risk  of  being  torn 
to  pieces.  It  causes  him  to  stamp  his  wife;  he  is 
made  to  abuse  his  children :  he  is  sometimes  made 
to  disregard  and  even  slay  his  parents;  the  furni- 
rture  and  dishes  cannot  stand  his  violence,  and  not 
unfrequently  it  ends  his  mad  career  by  causing  him 
to  commit  suicide.  Alcohol  has  a  strong  attraction 
for  water.  It  will  suck  moisture  out  of  the  air  if 
left  uncorked.     Common  alcohol  will  draw  the  wa- 


160  RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES. 

ter  out  of  vegetables  and  animal  substances  and  will 
keep  them  from  decay.  In  like  manner  it  uses  the 
water  of  the  body  and  causes  constant  thirst  and 
tends  to  prevent  the  different  changes  that  ought 
to  £0  on — changes  that  are  necessary  to  health. 

Life  consists  in  the  change  of  tissue,  expelling 
the  worn-out  matter  and  replacing  it  with  new  mat- 
ter made  from  food.  To  hinder  these  changes  is  in- 
jury, to  stop  them  is  death.  Alcohol  destroys  the 
gastric  juice  which  dissolves  the  food,  thus  giving 
rise  to  indigestion  and  internal  fevers.  It  may 
properly  be  considered  a  rogue  or  murderer,  enter- 
ing the  human  body  under  the  false  pretense  of  a 
friend.  It  first  extends  a  deceitful  hand  of  warm 
congratulation  and  manifests  its  pretended  kind- 
ness by  giving  partial  activity  and  energy.  During 
the  excitement  of  the  internal  organs  over  the 
hospitality  of  their  guest,  it  steals  little  by  little 
their  strength  and  energy  and  never  leaves  without 
murdering  a  fiber.  Notwithstanding  the  knowl- 
edge of  its  violent  attack  upon  these  organs,  its  in- 
fluence is  so  great  that  it  leaves  a  yearning  for  its 
return.  A  few  more  visits  give  it  a  hearty  welcome 
in  the  natural  house  where  it  soons  steals  all  the 
strength  and  activity  and  murders  the  body  and 
sends  the  soul  to  hell.  So  terrible  is  the  effect  of 
alcohol  on  the  system  until  it  is  recognized  in  the 
features  and  characters  of  the  drunkard's  posterity 


RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES.  161 

and  sometimes  the  children  follow  their  father's 
footsteps  and  move  slowly  but  surely  on  to  a  drunk- 
ard's grave  and  an  untimely  hell.  Alas,  how  manv 
a  man's  life  has  alcohol  affected!  How  many  des- 
titute families  has  it  made !  Many  a  criminal  if  he 
could  speak  would  say  that  it  was  the  agent  that 
led  him  into  stealing,  robbing,  murdering,  and  then 
finally  die  a  forsaken  wretch  on  the  gallows. 

Whenever  alcohol  procures  entrance  into  a  fami- 
ly it  usually  effects  its  entire  destruction.  Could 
the  amount  of  misery  in  time  and  eternity,  which 
alcohol  has  occasioned,  be  portrayed  before  the  hu- 
man family,  certainly  there  would  be  no  solicitude 
in  the  breast  of  any  for  its  results.  Let  the  moth- 
ers who  have  been  broken-hearted,  the  wives  who 
have  been  made  widows,  the  children  who  have  been 
made  orphans,  the  parents  who  have  been  bowed 
down  with  a  bereavement  worse  than  death  on  ac- 
count of  the  vices  of  their  children,  be  arrayed  in 
the  presence  of  the  people  of  the  earth.  Let  the 
families  who  have  been  reduced  to  penury,  dis- 
graced with  crime  and  consumed  with  anguish,  be 
gathered  before  the  inhabitants  of  the  world.  Let 
-the  sober-minded  go  to  the  grave-yards  and  sum- 
mon their  tenants — let  them  brine  before  men  the 
ghosts  of  those  whose  bodies  have  been  laid  in  the 
grave  by  the  fiery  flames  of  alcohol.  Let  them  call 
up,  if  they  can,  the  souls  which  have  been  shut  out 


162  RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES. 

from  heaven  and  plunged  into  eternal  despair 
through  the  instrumentality  of  liquor.  Let  them 
ask  what  is  their  verdict  and  what  is  their  advice  to 
the  present  and  all  coming  generations  concerning 
alcohol.  Doubtless  their  verdict  would  be  ruined 
by  the  fall  and  their  advice  touch  not,  taste  not 
the  unclean  thins:. 

The  only  apology  the  writer  has  to  offer  for  writ- 
ing this  brief  discourse  upon  the  effects  of  alcohol 
upon  the  human  system  is  a  desire  to  help  bring 
about  that  high  moral  condition  and  state  of  civili- 
zation that  he  so  much  desires  to  see  his  people  at- 
tain. Thinking  that  it  may  be  possible  that  some 
young  man  who  is  just  entering  upon  the  habit  of 
drinking  and  who  perchance  may  read  these  lines 
which  testify  of  the  horrible  end  to  which  one  who 
habitually  indulges  must  come,  the  writer  has  set 
forth  these  truths  to  induce  him  to  refrain  before 
it  plunges  him  into  inevitable  ruin.  The  possibili- 
ties of  the  race  cannot  be  reached  unless  the  young 
men  and  women  embrace  most  heartily  the  op- 
portunities bequeathed  to  them  through  the  tears 
and  industry  of  the  fathers  and  mothers  of  the  pres- 
ent generation.  No  people  can  be  level-headed  and 
espouse  great  causes  and  be  capable  of  great 
achievements  who  as  a  mass  are  adicted  to  the  use 
of  alcohol.  While  no  people  under  the  sun  should 
be  inebriates,  yet  the  white  people  can  better  afford 


RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES.  163 

to  indulge  more  or  less  freely  than  the  Negro ;   for 
their  record  is  made  and  theNearro  has  his  to  make. 


m 


^ 


164  RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES. 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

Friends  of  the  Race. 

Thomas  Mason,  A.  M.,  D.  D. — Although  this 
work  is  designed  to  show  the  possibilities  of  the  Ne- 
gro race  by  taking  the  citizens  of  the  state  as  the 
evidence  from  which  a  reasonble  conclusion  may  be 
drawn,  yet  the  writer  believes  it  would  be  very  in- 
complete without  a  brief  mention  of  a  few  of  the 
white  men  who  have  stood  so  courageously  for  the 
welfare  and  done  so  much  to  bring  about  the  very 
favorable  condition  of  the  colored  people,  and  who 
through  their  powerful  and  untiring  efforts,  rays  of 
light  have  been  spread  over  the  entire  country.  It 
is  indeed  a  great  mistake  in  any  people  to  turn  a 
cold  shoulder  to  any  class  of  men  who  are  trying 
to  help  them  and  who  have  proven  themselves 
staunch  friends  in  times  of  great  need.  The  writ- 
er, therefore,  in  order  that  he  may  not  be  want- 
ing in  respect  and  gratitude,  does  with  pleasure  in- 
vite public  attention  to  Prof.  Thomas  Mason,  who 
for  more  than  a  decade  and  a  half  was  president  of 
Philander  Smith  College,  and  who  is  now  principal 


RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES.  165 

of  Union  High  School  of  this  city.  The  race  never 
had  a  better  friend  than  Dr.  Mason.  For  the  sake 
of  love  he  bore  to  humanity,  he  espoused  the  Ne- 
groes' cause  soon  after  their  liberation  from  shack- 
les,  and  in  a  time  when  it  meant  social  and  almost 
racial  ostracism  to  him  and  his  family.  But  so 
thoroughly  convinced  of  the  Tightness  of  his  pur- 
pose until  he  forsook  home  and  friends  to  espouse 
a  cause  that  meant  almost  a  disgrace  to  him.  But 
he  did  for  the  Negro  of  this  state  what  the  Negro 
at  that  time  was  hardly  or  possibly  not  able  to  do 
for  himself  and  what  but  few  of  his  white  friends 
had  sufficient  courage  and  care  for  him  to  do.  He 
took  his  position  at  the  head  of  a  Negro  institution 
and  through  tears  and  prayers  labored  powerfully 
and  unceasingly  for  its  success.  That  he  deserves 
the  highest  respect  of  which  a  grateful  people  is  ca- 
pable of  rendering  and  a  sacred  place  in  the  mem- 
ory of  every  Negro  in  America,  must  be  admitted 
by  every  thoughtful  person.  For  the  good  that  he 
has  done  will  not  be  told  until  the  Books  are  open- 
ed and  the  Great  Lover  of  human  virtues  shall  de- 
clare that  inasmuch  as  he  did  service  unto  a  help- 
less race  he  did  service  unto  Him.  May  God  let 
him  live  long  to  enjoy  much  of  the  goodly  fruit  of 
this  land  and  then  take  him  to  heaven  in  the  full- 
ness of  his  years. 

Superintendent  and  School  Board — The 


166  RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES. 

regulation,  high  standing  and  proficiency  of  the  city 
public  schools  are  largely  due  to  the  impartiality 
and  great  educational  ability  of  Prof  J.  R.  Right- 
sell.  Through  his  far-sightedness  and  great  activ- 
ity  supported  by  a  highly  educated  and  impartial 
board  the  schools  of  Little  Rock  are  second  to  none 
in  the  South.  The  equitable  distribution  of  the 
school  funds  is  largely  due  to  the  impartiality  of 
these  worthy  servants  of  the  people.  The  success- 
ful operation  of  both  day  and  night  schools  leaves 
no  excuse  for  anyone  to  remain  in  ignornce.  The 
writer  feels  that  it  is  just  to  mention  these  things 
for  they  mean  a  great  deal  to  us ;  but  it  is  feared 
that  the  race  as  a  whole  does  not  appreciate  the  op- 
portunities presented.  Every  Negro  should  take 
due  notice  and  warmly  embrace  every  advantage 
offerd  him  for  the  sun  may  not  shine  always.  To 
all  these  worthy  and  philanthropic  friends  of  the 
race  we  acknowledge  our  unfeigned  thanks. 


RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES.  16' 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 

Conclusion  and  Summary. 

Having  produced  ample  evidence  that  there  are 
great  possibilities  in  the  race  the  writer  deems  it 
useless  to  present  further  argument.  But  in  order 
that  the  mind's  eye  may  the  more  clearly  view  the 
Held  he  will  strenghten  his  position  with  a  summa- 
ry of  his  evidence.  If  from  a  careful  comparison 
it  can  be  shown  that  the  race  has  men  in  all  the  pur- 
suits of  life  who  in  proportion  to  their  opportunities 
are  the  equal  of  those  of  the  more  favored  race, 
then  those  who  contend  that  the  Negro  is  doomed 
to  retrogression  and  consequent  annihilation  should 
be  willing  to  concede  the  falsity  of  their  reason  and 
argument.  As  to  the  time  the  Negro  has  had  with- 
in which  to  make  men  there  can  be  no  squabbling 
for  it  is  well  known  that  less  than  half  a  century 
rago  the  people  from  which  the  ministerial,  intellect- 
ual, business  and  financial  examples  are  taken  were 
rated  as  chattels.  Like  the  beast  of  the  field  they 
were  bought  and  sold  at  their  master's  discretion, 
and   as  for   intellectual   cultivation  the  eat-o'-nine- 


168  RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES. 

tails  was  laid  most  forcibly  upon  their  nude  bodies 
if  it  were  only  thought  that  they  desired  to  look  at 
a  book.  These  facts  are  perfectly  familiar  to  the 
world  and  burn  afresh  as  a  fire  but  today  kindled 
in  the  breast  of  every  patriotic  and  race-loving  Ne- 
gro when  he  by  reason  of  his  present  intelligence 
chances  to  think  of  them.  But  it  is  not  of  the  hor- 
rors of  those  dreadful  days  that  the  writer  hopes 
to  speak,  nor  does  he  desire  to  make  glow  the  burn- 
ing chunks  of  past  conflagration,  but  simply  men- 
tions these  things  to  show  the  absolutely  wretched 
condition  the  entire  people  were  in  from  whom 
such  noble  examples  of  racial  progress  and  possibil- 
ity are  taken.  It  was  just  a  third  of  a  century  ago 
that  Providence  shook  this  country  from  centre  to 
circumference,  baptized  this  nation  in  blood,  and 
with  a  key  manufactured  at  the  foundry  of  heaven 
unlocked  the  shackles  from  the  wrists  and  the  ball 
and  chain  from  the  ankles  of  four  million  human 
beings  and  made  this  government  allow  them  to  go 
and  write  their  names  high  upon  the  scroll  of  hon- 
or. It  is  from  these  people  and  from  what  they 
have  done  in  these  thirty-five  years  of  liberty  that 
the  writer  brings  forth  some  of  the  greatest  inen 
known  to  any  class  of  citizens  as  exponents  of  ra- 
cial possibilities.  If  the  Negro  race  has  men  who 
measure  arms  with  the  men  of  any  other  race  and 
these  men  are  the  product  of  only  thirty-five  years 


RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES.  169 

of  freedom  and  opportunity  the  question  in  what 
condition  were  they  and  their  ancestors  when  made 
citizens  naturally  suggests  itself.  Indeed  for 
a  great  race  in  great  circumstances  and  with  great 
opportunities  to  produce  great  men  is,  while  being 
declarative  of  future  greatness,  nothing  more  than 
its  duty  and  what  is  expected  of  it .  But  for  a  peo-. 
pie  under  unfavorable  circumstances  to  produce 
men  who  stand  the  peer  of  the  greatest  men  known 
to  modern  civilization  in  such  a  limited  time  is  a 
very  great  exception  to  the  rule  and  indicative  of 
an  exceptional  future  record.  As  to  time  it  has 
already  been  shown  that  the  history  of  Negro  citi- 
zenship in  the  United  States  dates  about  three  and 
a  half  decades  ago,  an  exceedingly  brief  life  when 
the  longevity  of  a  race  is  taken  in  consideration ; 
hence  it  is  now  quite  appropriate  to  inquire  into 
their  condition  from  an  intellectual  and  financial 
standpoint  when  they  started  out  to  make  a  histo- 
ry for  themselves  as  citizens  and  freemen  in  a  free 
country.  Reliable  tradition  has  it  that  the  oppor- 
tunities for  learning  were  reduced  to  a  minimum 
and  that  discipline  and  law  were  so  perfect  and  en- 
forced with  such  rigidity  and  unanimity  until  the 
most  complete  ignorance  was  assured  among  the 
slaves  in  the  South  which  indeed  was  one  of  the 
main  requisites  to  the  perpetuity  of  that  infamous 
institution.     What  the  condition  of  a  people  sub- 


170  RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES. 

jected  to  such  a  regime  for  two  hundred  and  fifty 
years  can  be  easily  conjectured.  The  most  abject 
ignorance  with  systems  saturated  with  basest  super- 
stition is  compelled  to  have  been  the  intellectual 
condition  of  the  ancestors  of  the  many  undeniable 
examples  of  intellectual  giants.  Their  condition 
was  the  most  despicable  from  a  financial  standpoint. 
It  may  have  been  that  a  few  cunning  Negoes  here 
and  there  had  a  few  dollars  secreted  and  could 
spell  a  little,  read  a  little  and  even  write  their  names 
but  it  was  a  rare  exception.  When  we  compare 
his  present  and  past  conditions  our  findings  are  the 
most  astonishing  and  agreeable.  We  believe  the 
examples  we  have  given  are  unmistakable  evidence 
that  the  Negro  in  Arkansas  is  meeting  the  demands 
of  the  age  in  every  respect. 

The  examples  furnished  in  connection  with  this 
work  are  ample  evidences  of  the  happy  condition 
of  the  people  so  far  as  good  material  among  them- 
selves is  concerned.  Then  seeing  that  these  great 
men  who  are  acknowledged  by  all  to  be  most  wor- 
thy have  been  produced  by  the  race  in  these  thirty- 
live  years,  it  seems  but  fair  to  conclude  that  it  is 
more  probable  for  their  children  to  become  great 
than  for  themselves.  For  it  is  truly  evident  that 
their  posterity  has  the  benefit  of  their  intelligence 
and  finance  to  begin  with  and  these  coupled  with  a 
bequest  of  moral  force  put  them  in  condition  to  ac- 


RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES.  171 


complish  far  -more  than  their  fathers  who  had 
neither  moral  force,  intelligence  nor  money.  But 
in  spite  of  the  odds  they  have  made  themselves 
what  they  are.  The  educators,  men  of  means, 
ministers  and  business  men  of  Arkansas  can  be  du- 
plicated by  any  state  in  the  union  where  the  Ne- 
groes are  numerous.  This  proves  the  industry, 
activity,  perseverance  and  economy  as  practiced  bv 
the  race  generally.  Men  of  ability  and  means  are 
not  found  as  accidents  here  and  there  but  they  are 
found  generally  throughout  the  union.  Hence  it 
is  clear  that  the  Negro  as  a  race  has  in  it  sufficient 
material  to  make  it  equal  to  any  other.  Time  is 
required  to  bring  about  great  accomplishments. 
The  writer  does  not  see  how  they  can  help  but 
make  a  great  future  record  unless  it  is  through 
a  failure  on  their  part  to  avail  themselves  of  their 
present  opportunities  and  appreciate  the  material 
at  hand.  Many  ethnologists  and  intelligent  people 
contend  that  the  race  will  not  make  a  very  credita- 
ble record  as  a  whole  because  of  the  non-unity  and 
disregard  for  each  other's  interest;  but  when  it  is 
remembered  that  the  habit  of  disrespect,  supersti- 
tion and  separation  is  the  result  of  hundreds  of 
years  of  oppression,  abuse  and  teaching  in  those 
directions,  it  will  be  clearly  seen  that  to  expect  a 
complete  eradication  of  such  principles  and  the  es- 
tablishment of  true,  manly  and  racial  principles  in 


172  RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES. 


thirty-five  years  is  preposterous.  These  things 
must  be  accomplished  by  an  advanced  civilization. 
The  entire  being  must  be  renovated  by  a  superior 
intelligence  of  the  race  as  a  whole.  It  is  true  that 
the  Negroes  all  over  this  country  are  becoming 
awakene^Lto  the  necessity  of  race  pride,  unity, 
|  economy,  pl|||everance  and  activity  every  year  which 
is  a  guarantell&^.the  thinking  mind  that  ultimately 
every  discouraging  feature  of  Negro  life  will  entire- 
ly be  dispelled  and  they  will  be  a  unit  and  a  pow- 
erful force  among  the  other  nations  of  the  earth. 
God  hath  said :  "  Princes  shall  come  out  of  Egypt ; 
Ethiopia  shall  soon  stretch  out  her  hands  unto 
God." 


->K- 


RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES.  173 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

COLORED    BUSINESS    DIRECTORY    OF 
LITTLE  ROCK.        $ 

BARBERS. 

Anderson,  Matt,  723  e  2nd  * 

Armstrong,  R  H,  204  w  5th 

Armstrong  &  Green,  1321  water 

Brown,  Samuel,  217  w  5th 

Campbell,  res  800  w  9th 

Casey,  King,  208  w  4th 

Elgin,  Samuel,  103  center 

Fleming,  James,  301  e  Washington  av  N.  L.  R. 

Flournoy,  E  D,  220  w  2nd 

Hart,  Jackson,  309  e  markham 

Herron,  E  D,  217  w  5th 

Havnes,  Henry,  622  w  9th 

Ish,  C  H,  70<s\v9th 

Ish,  Alonzo,  708  w  9th 

Jones,  M,  622  w  9th 

Leak,  LW,  712  main 

Luster,  Bryant,  109  w  4th 

Oliver,  H,  118  w  markham 

Poindexter,  John,  216  1-2  w  5th 


174  RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES. 

Snipes,  T  C,  newton  av  N.  L.  R. 
Thornton,  Hanover,  616  w  9th 
Wallace,  Lawrence,  513  main 
Wallace,  Charles,  513  main 
Wallace,  E  D,  513  main 
Warren,  Johnson,  207  1-2  e  2nd 
Williams,  B  H,  904  1-2  w  9th 
Williams,  Louis,  208  w  5th 
Williamson,  N  B,  315  main 
Willis,  B  T,  219  main 

BLACKSMITHS. 

Austin,  J,  3rd  &  center 

Franklin,  W  T,  612  center 

Lockhart,  Thomas,  403  Washington  av  N.  L.  R. 

Madden  &  Davis,  207  rector  av 

McDowel  Bros,  6th  &  center 

Harrison,  Benjamin,  410  w  7th 

Pleasant,  R  P,  508  w  10th 

Thomas,  J  F,  907  victory 

Peters  &  Young,  314  w  5th 

Winstead,  G  W,  1005  w  8th 

SHOEMAKERS. 

Banks,  L  K,  723  e  2nd 

Bell,  Henry,  1507  1-2  state 

Bell,  Frank,  1507  1-2  state 

Bradford,  N  P,  916  w  7th 

Breedlove,  J  W,  521  newton  av  N.  L.  R. 

Campbell,  David  C,  418  louisiana 


RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES.  175 

Green,  Edward,  1010  rock 
Kern,  rev  A  W,  800  w  8th 
Knowles,  George,  914  w  9th 
Lucas,  O  A,  308  w  5th 
Liggins,  B  L,  900  Chester 
Jones,  T  J,  710  w  9th 
Robinson,  Nathaniel,  822  7-8  w  9th 
Thornton,  H  R,  U16  w  9th 
Wesley,  Piggee,  821  hanger 

CIGAR  AND  TOBACCO  STANDS. 

More,  Neil,  706  w  9th 

EDUCATORS  AND  TEACHERS. 

Allen,  Fannie  H,  bds  1405  ringo 
Armstead,  Cornelia,  res  2022  sherman 
Arm  stead,  Mary,  res  700  spring 
Armstead,  Virginia,  2022  sherman 
Anthony,  Lyda.  res  2500  adams 
Ashford,  Bessie,  1505  pulaski 

Booker,  rev  J  A,  pres  Ark  Bap  Col.  res  1522  cross 
Brown,  Julia,  bds  818  state 
Brooks,  MJ,  Ark  Bap  Col 
Cox.  rev  J  M,  pres  P  S  Col,  res  1111  izard 
Crumpton,  Alice,  res  1816  w  spring 
rChildress,  R  C.  res  1122  izard 
Davis,  T  J,  res  2300  w  7th 
Curtice,  W  B, 

Gee,  Cynthia,  res  1114  izard 
Gibbs,  Lillie,  bds  1522  cross 


176  RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES. 


Guinea,  J  W,  res  1707  scott 
Green,  Inez,  bds  1210  commerce 
Hill,  Johnnie,  bds  1522  cross 
Hickey,  Nellie,  res  1711  scott 
Hilton,  S  B,  res  818  state 
Ish,  J  G,  res  1600  scott 
Ish,  M  G,  res  1600  scott 
Ish,  T  R,  prin  Blind  school 
Ish,  J,  matron  Blind  school 
Irvin,  Pearle,  bds  1401  w  12th 
Jordan,  Corinne,  res  817  gaines 
Jordan,  Ella,  18th  &  sherman 
Jordan,  Mamie,  18th  &  sherman 
Jamison,  A  J,  res  1210  w  18th 
Jones,  Izetta,  res  312  w  12th 
Jones,  J  S,  res  312  w  12th 
Keatts,  Mary  A,  res  915  w  10th 
Knox,  J  E,  res  1820  battery 
Lee,  Annie,  res  1123  victory 
Lee,  Fannie,  res  1123  victory 
Lewis,  Lilly,  res  1412  w  10th 
Martin,  M  H,  bds  906  izard 
Morris,  Adlena,  res  1218  e  12th 
Porter,  Maud,  res  1720  high 
Patillo,  Emma,  1200  last 
Ratcliffe,  Cora,  res  18th  &  hall  live 
Ratcliffe,  Laura,  res  18th  &  hall  ave 
Rector,  Essie,  res  209  rock 


RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES.  177 


Rector,  J  K,  904  broadway 

Reedus,  Mary,  res  516  e  21st 
Richmond,  Lessie,  res  1112  chester 
Riley.  C  C,  res  11th  &  chester 
Sanders,  Hattie,  res  1823  Cumberland 
Spight,  M  E,  res  900  cross 
Stephens,  L  E,  res  916  broadway 
Stewart,  Jp  H  W,  res  716  gaines 
Still,  C  L  F,  bds  906  w  14th 
Weaver,  Georgia,  res  819  cross 
Smith,  ME,  res  1705  chester 

SB*  CONFECTIONERS. 

House,  J/ A,  620  w  9th 
Webb,  J*S,  706  w  9th 

DENTIST. 

Smith,  J  H.  701  main 
I 

DRESSMAKERS. 

Byas,  Fannie,  1611  louisiana 
Chaney,  Sophronfci,  1405  ringo 
Fleetwood,  II  L,  906  broadway 
Haskin*,  M,  923  w  7th 
Hudson,  Ida,  9th  &  gaines 
Johnson,  M,  1322  w  14th 
Keith,  Cljflra,  1312  w  8th 
Keith,  M,  1320 
Brown,'  A,  908  wolfe 
Ratcliffe,  Cora,  1512  w  15th 
Reddick,  C,  1505  pulaski 


178  RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES. 

Smith,  M  B,  1008  main 
Thompson,  E,  917  high 
Ingram,  G,  10th  &  izard 
Oliver,  H,  906  w  14th 

DRUGGIST. 

Coffin,  F  B,  700  w  9th 

GROCERS. 

Alexander,  Jas,   1401  w  10th 

Brazelton,  W  A,  722  1-2  w  9th 

Blakeiey,  J  I,  1)24  vv  9th 

Colum,  C  C,  &  Bros  505  Washington  N.  L.  R 

Flemings,  Jas,  311  wahington  N.  L.  R 

~     7  7  c 

Hewitt,  C  A,  walnut  &  Jefferson  N.  L.  R 

Hudson,  W  H,  1123  w  13th 

Johnson,  A,  13th  &  valentine 

Justus,  H  V,  adams  &  oak 

Lewis,  Susie.  1412  w  10th 

Love,  Geo,  1017  e  6th 

Morris,  A  D,  1218  e  12th 

Quails,  J,  1222"  last  . 

Ezell,  Chas,  502  e  18th 

Reddic,  Alex.  11th  &  hanger 

Robinson,  T,  1101  w  7th 

Shaw,  J  H,  1322  pulaski 

Smith,  J,  &  Bro,  724  w  9th 

Robinson,  J  S  R,  728  w  9th 

Stephens,  Alex, 

Spillers,  W,  924  broadwav 


RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES. 


Stray  horn,  Oren,  900  gaines 
Taylor,  S  F,  221  w  5th 
Toler,  A,  1800  battery 
Walker,  J  W,  1122  w  19th 
Weathers,  R,  1000  w  9th 

HOTELS. 

Pacific,  1511  w  markham,  P  Mahan,    prop 
Scott  Street,  213  scott,  B  Bruce,    prop 

LAWYERS. 

Brown,  L  J,  Odd  Fellows  bldg 
Jones,  S  A,  115  louisiana 
Johnson,  T  P,  Odd  Fellows  bldg 
Lindsay,  C  T,  403  w  markham 
Nichols,  N  H,  Odd  Fellows  bldg 
Robinson,  J  H,  122  louisiana 

MINISTERS. 

Alexander,  B  W,  N.  L.  R. 
Booker,  J  A,  1522  cross 
Block,  R,  1102  hanger 
Bradford,  N  P,  916  w  7th 
Cox,  J  M,  1111  izard 
Cox,  W  C,  906  state 
Carolina,  F  B,  A  M  E,  p  e,  1116  w  8th 
rConwell,  W  S,  1009  rock 
Duncan,  W  R  R.  M  E,  p  e,  2008  state 
Davis,  Wm,  10th  &  Chester 
Daniels,  I  P,  1111  w  14th 
Fountain,  Wm.  524  cross 


180  RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES. 

Freeland,  W  H,  619  w  9th 

Gaines,  G  W  D,  1709  high 

Hanna,  TH,AMEZ,pe 

Hoke,  J  H,  state  missionary,  1715  cross 

Hammonds,  J  H,  906  w  21st 

Ellis,  J  H,  student 

Hatchett,  P,  10th  &  victory 

Jones,  J  C, 

Kern,  A  W,  800  vv  8th 

Knox,  J.E,  1820  battery 

Matthews,  Wm;  506  e  15th 

McMillan,  H  M, 

Phillips,  Wm  A  J,  res  702  e  17th 

Poindexter,  James, 

Robinson,  J  P,  res  613  w  7th 

Reddie,  A,  12th  &  hanger 

Red,  A, 

Ross,  D  R,  res  1813  chester 

Sherrill,  J  C,  res  11th  &  state 

Wade,  P  W,  A  M  E,  p  e,  res  1011  cross 

Williams,  Jordan, 

Williams,  A  A,  A  M  E,  p  e,  res  1410  high 

Watkins,  J  H  L,  res  9th  &  broadway 

Simms,  Y  B,  res  1600  scott 

Cornelius,  E, 

Thompson,  K  T. 

NEWSPAPERS. 

American  Guide,  9th  &  gaines.  D  G  Hill  ed 


RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES.  181 

Baptist  Vanguard,  Ark  Bap  Col,  J  A  Booker  ed 
University  Herald,  9th  &  bdwy,  J  A  Johns  ed 
Visitor,  P  S  Col,  R  C  Childress  ed 

PHYSICIANS  &  SURGEONS. 

Bruce,  W  J  E,  office  61(5  w  9th 

Gaines,  D  B,  office  624  gaines 

Hay  man,  Cf  W,  office  627  gaines 

Hewitt,  C  A,  office  magnolia  &  wasington  av  N.  L.  R. 

Suggs,  H  W,  office  8th  &  gaines 

RESTAURANTS. 

Broglin,  M  D,  112  rock 

Hargraves,  Samuel,  714  w  Oth 

Latham,  Jessie,  223  w  5th 

Matthews,  Edward,  1200  w  9th 

Midway  Cafe.  620  w  9th,  L  A  House  prop 

Morris,  James,  722  w  9th 

Squires,  Joseph,  310  e  Washington  av  N.  L.  R. 

Turner,  G  W,  newton  &  Washington  avs  N.  L.  R. 

Williams,  mrs  Helen,  815  Washington  av  N.  L    R. 

TAILORS. 

Collins,  Samuel  E,  Star  Tailoring  co,  5t)o  main 
Burton  &  Thompson,  props.  712  w  9th 
Foster,  Isaac,  708  w  9th 

r  UNDERTAKERS. 

Cook  &  Jones,  708  1-2  main 

UPHOLSTERS. 

Cook,  D  G,  611  w  9th 
Larkins,  F  B,  720  w  9th 


182  RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES. 

JEWELERS. 

Henderson,  J  E,  508  w  9th 
Thompson,  Perry,  508  w  9th 

WOOD  &  COAL  YARDS. 

Duncan,  W  H,  1922  izard 
Gibbs,  Philip,  720  w  9th 
Henderson,  L,  918  e  9th 
Mitchel,  Ross,  814  ringo 
Ezell,  Charles,  502  e  18th 
Sims,  Sidney,  721  w  9th 
Thornton  &  Bro,  GIG  w  9th 
Stray  horn,  Oren,  701  w  9th 

PROMINENT  MEN  NOT  CLASSIFIED. 

Branham,  A  M,  res  818  spring 

Bush,  J  E,  res  515  w  9th 

Barnett,  M  L,  res  600  w  8th 

Cadet,  J  R,  res  1207  state 

Dukes,  J  C,  ex-mgr  Vanguard 

Eaton,  J,  res  1111  wolfe 

Emmerson,  Geo  W,  1710  ringo 

Flowers,  A  J,  res  1401  w  12th 

Garner,  H,  res  1800  w  spring,  letter  carrier 

Gilkey,  H  H,  res  1320  commerce 

Gil  more,  J,  res  1700  marshal 

Guy,  G  W, 

Gilliam,  Isaac,  res  1023  arch 

Harrison,  R  D,  1422  gaines,  mail  clerk 

Henderson,  Marion,  res  922  w  12th,  postal  clerk 


RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES.  183 


Hurt,  C,  res  820  w  9th 

Hurt,  S  P,  res  823  w  9th,  mail  clerk 

Jeffries,  M,  res  1315  w  14th 

Jones,  G  E,  res  715  gaines 

Jordan,  S  A,  res  141i>  cross,  letter  carrier 

Jordan,  T,  res  1123  izard 

Keith,  Anderson,  res  1312  w  8th 

LaPorte,  Win,  res  802  pulaski 

Lee,  W,  res  12th  &  victory 
-  Lockhart,  Thomas,  res  1015  gaines 

Luster,  Robert,  res  2003  state 

Moore,  E  W,  res  622  w  15th 

McCain,  G  W,  res  714  ringo 

Nixon,  Win  A,  res  D02  state 

Norwood,  F,  res  1118  izard 

Poindexter,  F,  res  1222  gaines 

Pitts,  G  W,  11)22  oreorse 

Pinkett,  D  H,  18th  &  w  spring,  letter  carrier 

Patillo,  M,  res  1200  last 

Porter,  L  N,  res  1720  high,  letter  carrier 

Rector,  J  E,  res  20!)  rock,  mail  clerk 

Rector,  Wm,  res  904  broadway 

Richmond,  Aug,  res  12th  &  chester 
'  Richmond,  A  L,  12th  betw  izard  &  cheater 

Robinson,  Wm,  res  180(5  chester 

Sanders,  Calvin,  res  1823  Cumberland 

Sandredge,  J,  res  1705  e  3rd 

Scott,  Winfield,  1804  Cumberland 


184  RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES. 


Smith,  Wm,  res  1705  Chester 

Spight,  S,  900  cross,  detective 

Summers,  Sam,  res  812  spring 

Thompson,  G  W,  res  1006  w  10th 

Thompson,  L,  res  1222  gaines 

Washington,  Geo,  res  1117  izard 

Williams,  F  A,  res  1414  Chester,  letter  carrier 

Wiliford,  A,  res  1()08  e  9th 

Winfry,  S,  res  2400  adams 

White,  J  R,  res  1704  ringo 

I 


RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES.  185 


CHAPTER  XXV. 

e 

COLORED  CHURCH  DIRECTORY. 

BAPTIST. 

Collins  JSt,  4th  &  collins,  rev  G  W  Gaines  pastor, 
services  ll|a  m,  3  &  7:30  p  in,  Sunday  school  1 
I  p  in 

First  Baptist,  N.  L.  R.,  wolf  &  cox  sts,  rev  B 
W  Alexander  pastor,  services  Ham,  3,  &  7:30 
p  m,  Sunday  school  1  p  m 

1st  Baptist,  7th  <&  gaines,  rev  J  P  Robinson  pas- 
tor, services  11  a  in,  3  &  7:30  p  in,  Sunday  school 
1  p  in 

Mt  Pleasant,  14th  <&  ringo,  rev  Jordan  Williams 
pastor,  services  11  am,  3  &  7:30  pm,  Sunday 
school  7  a  m 

Mt  Zion,  9th  <&  cross,  rev  Cornelius  pastor,  serv- 
ices 11a  in,  3  &  7  :30  p  in,  sunday  school  9  :30  a  m 

Jerusalem,  19th  &  high,  rev  F  K  White  pastor, 
services  11  a  in,  3  <&  7:30  p  m,  sundav school  1  pm 

St  Paul,  9th  &  izard.  rev  J  A  Jeter  pastor,  serv- 
ices 11  a  in,  3  &  7:30  p  in,  sundav  school  1  p  m 

Shiloh,  12th  <£  hanger,  rev  A  Redic  pastor,  serv- 


186  .  RA  CIAL  POSSIBILITIES. 

ices  11  a  m,  3  &  7 :30  p  m,  Sunday  school  9  :30  a  ni 

METHODIST. 

Bethel  AME,  9th  &  broadway,  rev  J  L  H  Wat- 
kins  pastor,  services  11  a  m  3  &  7  :30  p  m,  Sunday 
school  2  p  m 

Centennial  A  M  E,  18th  &  pulaski,  rev  J  C  Jones 
pastor,  services  11  a«m  3  &  7:30  p  m,  Sunday 
school  9am 

Miles  Chapel  C  M  E,  3d  &  ferry,  rev  W  S  Con- 
well  pastor,  services  11  a  m  3  &  7  :30  p  m,  sumday 
school  9  a  m 

St  Paul  A  M  E  Zion,  12th  &  spring,  rev  K  T 
Thompson  pastor,  services  11am  3  &  7  :  30  p  m 
sunday  school  1  p  m 

Pain's  Chapel  A  M  E  Zion,  19th  &  sherman,  rev 
Win  Matthews  pastor,  services  11  a  m  3  &  7  :30  p  m 
sunday  school  1pm 

Ward's  Chapel  A  M  E,  11  &  hanger,  revR  Block 
pastor,  services  11am  3  &  7:30  p  m,  sunday 
school  9  a  m 

Brown  Memorial  A  M  E,  11  &  ringo,  rev  W  C 
Cox  pastor,  services  11  a  m  3  &  7  :30  p  m  sunday 
school  9am 

Wesley  Chapel  M  E,  11th  &  state,  rev  J  C  Shey- 
rill  pastor,  services  11  a  m  &  7:30  p  m,  sunday 
school  9:30  a  m 

OTHER  CHURCHES. 

1st  Congregational,  9th  &  state,   rev   Y    B  Sims 


RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES.  187 

pastor,  services  11  a  m  &  7  :30  p  in  Sunday  school 
9:30  a  m 

St  Phillips  Protestant  Episcopal,  rev  I  P  Daniels 
rector,  14th  &  ringo  services  11  a  m  &  7  p  m,  sun- 
day  school  1pm 

Allison  Prebyterian,  9th  &  gaines,  rev  W  H 
Freeland  pastor,  services  11  a  in  &  7:30  p  in  sun- 
day  school  9  a  m 

A  most  cordial  invitation  is  extended  to  visitors 
by  all  of  these  churches 


Fresh  meats,  vegetables,  produce,  staple  and 
fancy  groceries  can  always  be  had  at  the  lowest 
prices  at  J.  I.  Blakeley's\  9th  &  Gaines  Sts. 

Coffin's  Poems — 244  pages—  70  pages  on 
lvnchinor,  40  pages  to  the  children.  Price  $1.00 
Address" F.  B.  Coffin. 

The  only  exclusively  cigar  and  tobacco  es- 
tablishment is  conducted  by  N.  Moore.  Fine  goods 
a  specialty.  Honesty  and  courtesy  is  his  motto. 
Don't  fail  to  give  him  a  trial.     9th  &  Gaines 

Smith  Bros.,  dealers  in  staple  and  fancy  gro- 
ceries ;  vegetables  and  country  produce  can  always 
be  found  first-class  and  at  the  lowest  prices  at  724 
W.  9th  St.  The  public  patronage  is  cordially  so- 
licited.    Free  deliverv. 


188  RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES. 

Burton  &  Thompson,  merchant  tailors,  are 
the  only  Negro  tailors  in  the  state  who  do  their 
own  cutting  and  fitting.  All  garments  tried  on  be- 
fore finished.  Cleaning,  dyeing  and  repairing  a 
specialty.     712  W.  9th  St. 

S.  Hargraves  keeps  a  first-class  restaurant. 
Ice  cream,  milk  shake,  fountain  soda  water  and  all 
kinds  of  ice  cold  drinks.  Meals  at  all  hours  and  at 
reasonable  prices.  The  public  patronage  is  earn- 
estly solicited  at  714  W.  9th  St. 

J.  E.  Henderson,  watchmaker  and  jeweler, 
is  at  508  W.  9th  St.  Repairing  a  specialty.  Man- 
ufacturer of  old  sold  into  new  jewelry. 

J  W.  Walker,  the  wholesale  grocer,  is  the 
man  to  see  for  a  first-class  line  of  groceries.  No. 
1122  W.  19th  St. 

J.  S.  Webb,  9th  and  Gaines  Sts.,  confec- 
tioner and  dealer  in  patent  medicines  a  specialty. 
The  following  indorsement  is  from  one  of  the  larg- 
est and  moot  reliable  white  firms  in  the  city : 

Little  Rock,  Ark..  Jan.  12th,  1898.   . 
To  whom  it  may  concern. 

Mr.  Jas.  S.  Webb  has  been  in  my  employ  for 
sixteen  years  and  is  in  every  way  worthy  of  confi- 
dence, esteem  and  respect.  He  has  embarked  In 
business  for  himself  and  I  wish  for  him  abundant 
success.  He  is  faithful  to  his  contracts  and  can  be 
depended  upon  to  do  as  he  promises.  He  is  strict- 
ly temperate.  J.  W.  Beidelman. 

Go    to    S.  F.  Tavlor   Commission    Co..  for 


RACIAL  POSSIBILITIES.  189 

poultry,  eggs,  butter,  fruits,  fish   and   all  kinds  of 
game/    No.  221  W.  5th  St. 

For  neatly  fitting  garments,  don't  fail  to  con- 
sult I.  A.  Foster.  Suits  and  pants  made  to  order: 
always  guaranteed  and  at  the  lowest  possible  pri- 
ces.    9th  and  Gaines  Sts. 

T.  R.  Robinson  is  the  place  to  go  when  in 
need  of  a  fresh  supply  of  groceries  at  lowest  prices. 
7th  and  Rinsfo. 


You  will  miss  a  bargain  if   you  don't  see  A. 
rris  before  buying  your  bill  of  c 
the  week  or  month.  "  1218  E.  12th  St. 


D.  Morris  before  buying  your  bill  of  groceries  for 


L.  A.  House's  Midway  Cafe  is  the  place  to 
get  setwed  with  everything  that  is  nice. 

Don't  fail  to  see  Sidney  Sims  about    wood, 

coal  and  all  kinds  of  kindling  stuff.  His  place   of 

business  is  headquarters   for  all   fuel  supplies,  !>th 
and  State. 

Henry  Bell,  1507  1-2  State,  will  always  giye 
you  a  first-class  job  in  boot  and  shoe  work.  Call 
on  him. 

The  business  men  in  the  business  directory  will 
giye  satisfaction  both  as  to  prices  and  quality  of 
floods.     Let  every  Ne°rro  try  them. 


Bridgeport  National 
Bindery,  Inc. 

FEB.  2000 


